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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24501199">Regrettable</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kblynne/pseuds/kblynne'>kblynne</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adultery, Anal Gaping, Anal Sex, Ass to Mouth, Beginner BDSM, Choking, Consensual Kink, Dom Draco Malfoy, Drunk Sex, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Falling In Love, Falling Out of Love, First time anal, Food Play, Hermione loves anal, Kinky, Light Dom/sub, Lingerie, Making Love, Marital Discourse, Mild Humiliation, Multiple Penetration, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Oral Sex, Pursuit of Happiness, Rimming, Ron Weasley Bashing, Rough Oral Sex, Selfish Behavior, Sex, Sex Toys, Spanking, Sub Hermione Granger, Whipping, anal fetish, consensual drunk sex, mutually assured destruction</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 05:53:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>124,850</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24501199</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kblynne/pseuds/kblynne</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>MOVING TO EVERY OTHER FRIDAY </p><p>“Well, consider me at your service, if you ever need someone to use, say, for exacting a secret revenge on a thoughtless husband.” He smirked, and her jaw may very well have dropped. Had he just offered to cheat on her husband with her?</p><p>“What? Here and now?” Hermione laughed nervously. The fact that she hadn’t whipped out her wand and cursed him for even making such a suggestion was evidence of how angry she must really be with Ronald, if not of how drunk she must really be. “That’s insane.” At least she could claim insanity later, right? Her heart was pounding now, so much so she thought he must have been able to hear it. She swore she could. She should run. Any decent married woman would. Why, then, did her feet refuse to move?</p><p>“And that wasn’t a no,” he informed her. They stared at each other with baited breath. Draco took a step towards her, reaching one hand up to draw her towards him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Astoria Greengrass/Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger/Ronald Weasley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1112</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>965</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi there! Another Dramione WIP? Don't mind if I do! So, I've been holding off on posting this one for a long time, but now that I've found a great deal of inspiration, I just couldn't resist!</p><p>This series will be updated once weekly. Today in particular I'll be posting two chapters because the prologue shouldn't really count, right? Tags will be updated as needed as each new chapter is posted, so check them frequently. For now, I'll be adding all tags for chapters that are written, so that you know what you're getting into!</p><p>Please do me a favor and don't read this if you're just going to comment how "out of character" Hermione is being. Its a story about her super kinky extramarital affair with Draco Malfoy. If that's not OOC Idk what is. Its just for fun and smut!</p><p>As always, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me know what you think! What did you love? What did you hate? What do you hope to see in future chapters? There's so much of this story that is yet unwritten, so I want to hear from you!</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy share an alcohol-fueled night of passion after the last of their N.E.W.T.s, which will prove to be a lasting memory for both parties.</p><p>Chapter tags: Consensual Drunk Sex, Sex, Anal Sex, Oral Sex, Anal Fingering</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
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</div>He’d never seen Granger drunk before. He’d never seen her go to a party, or let loose in any way, actually. It was one week before graduation, the exams had all been finished, and most of the seventh years had gotten together to plan a party. It was the biggest party of the year. Hell, it was the biggest party he’d ever attended at Hogwarts. It wasn’t all that surprising after everything the students had been through in recent years. They were tired of mourning, and they were ready to celebrate. For the first time in their study at Hogwarts, Voldemort had not spoiled their year.<p>As Head Boy and Girl, they were not only in attendance, but they were asked (by the Headmistress, who was far too omniscient to not know such an event was being planned in her school) to keep the shenanigans from getting out of hand. Still Draco never could have guessed that he’d be the one dragging a properly intoxicated Hermione Granger away from the festivities and back to their dorms. She had a reputation to maintain, and he knew that if she kept going at her current rate, no one would respect her in the morning.</p><p>“You,” Hermione said to him as he escorted her down the corridor close to midnight, pointing her finger at him threateningly. “Are a party pooper!” She punctuated the last two words with a wiggle of that finger.</p><p>Draco could barely contain his amusement. “And you were about five minutes away from losing your dress,” he informed her. “You can hate me in the morning.” He wasn’t mad about leaving the party early. Perhaps in years past he would have been, but tonight was her night. He knew how stressed she was about what to do with her life after graduation. Which path to take. It must have been so hard, having so many doors open that you don’t know which to go through first.</p><p>Hermione laughed loudly, her voice carrying through the empty corridor. “I bet you would have paid to see that,” she said, as though she was talking about someone other than herself.</p><p>“You’re damn right,” Draco agreed, smirking over at her as they walked. “But if I’m going to see what you’ve got going on under all that, I’m going to want a private show.” So perhaps Draco Malfoy had had a lot to drink that night as well, but he handled himself a lot better, given his higher tolerance. </p><p>“Malfoy!” The head girl chastised, taking a double step to the side as she nearly lost her footing.</p><p>Draco watched her stumble and moved closer to her, in case she decided to lose her balance completely. “Hey, don’t act so innocent, Granger,” he slurred slightly. “You have been teasing me all year long.”</p><p>“Oh I have not,” Hermione dismissed, her ankle twisting slightly with her next step. She winced and stopped briefly. “My heel is broken,” she complained.</p><p>Draco watched as she kicked her foot out, and the apparently broken pump spiraled through the air, toe over heel over toe again, before landing with a loud clatter on the stone floor several meters ahead of them. And then she was laughing, more than laughing, she was roaring, stumbling into the wall and letting it hold her as the mirth washed over her at the unexpected result. He laughed as well, at her as much as with her. If it hadn’t been broken before, it certainly was now.</p><p>"Alright, drunky drunk, let's get you home." Draco moved to get her away from the wall and back on course towards their living quarters, but she pulled away from him stubbornly, and wrenched the other high heel from her foot, leveling herself out. He picked up the discarded footwear and mended the two pieces back together with his wand.</p><p>Hermione hadn't been ready to leave the party. It was so much fun! Everyone was drinking fire whiskey and dancing, playing games, snogging… Not for the first time she'd regretted that she had a long distance relationship. She wanted to be the girl snogging her boyfriend in a corner!</p><p>But Ron Weasley was off with Harry and Neville and whoever else felt they hadn't already seen enough action for their lifetime. She was proud of him, but she wished he'd finished his education first. Both of them. Instead she'd returned to Hogwarts without them, and made an unlikely friend in her Head partner Draco Malfoy, of all people.</p><p>"Maybe I don't want to go home," Hermione contradicted just to do so, swinging her lonely shoe in her hand as she walked. Somehow she was no better at it without the heels. "Maybe I want to stay out all night. Maybe I want to do something-" </p><p>Whatever kind of thing she'd been about to suggest Draco would never know, because they had reached a staircase, and hardly three steps up Hermione had tripped and skidded back to the ground on her bottom. She didn't laugh this time. Instead she looked up at Draco with a pout. "Ow. That hurt quite a lot, actually."</p><p>Draco trotted down the few stairs between them. "Alright you." He helped her onto her feet. "Don't make me levitate you."</p><p>"You wouldn't dare," Hermione dismissed with a laugh, wiping any potential dirt from her rear. </p><p>"Oh? I wouldn't?" He knew it wasn't wise to drink and cast, but it was just a beginner levitation spell. It was literally the oldest trick in the book. He drew out his wand. "Wingardium leviosa," he articulated clearly, as to not humiliate himself by screwing up the simplest spell on earth. </p><p>Hermione cried out in protest as she began to float. "Draco Malfoy you royal pain in my arse, let me down!" She demanded, but as she looked down, she realized that she was floating above the ever shifting hall of stairs, and her determination faltered. Draco was beside her every step of the way.</p><p>"You sure about that?" He asked her knowingly.</p><p>"N- no…" Hermione remained gratefully silent until they got to the third floor. "Alright you can put me down now. I can bloody walk." She didn't care to be humiliated further.</p><p>"If you say so," Draco agreed this time, and lowered her nearly to the floor before ending the spell. She fell the final few inches as gravity reclaimed her, and nearly toppled over. "I thought you said you could walk. You can barely stick a three inch landing," he criticized her with amusement, walking past her towards their dwellings. </p><p>"Oh shut up. I may be drunk but I'm still an independent woman." As she started to chase after him, she dropped her shoe. </p><p>Draco turned when he heard the item hit the floor. "Bloody hell, women." He walked over to her and picked up the shoe, holding it up with its twin for her to take. When she reached to take the pair from him, he yanked them back, and instead wrapped one arm around her waist. "Someone's forgotten her manners tonight."</p><p>She swayed where she stood, supported by him, looking up at him in surprise. He was touching her. Actually touching her. She was sure it was a first. The small of her back where his hand rested felt warm. She recognized a tingling sensation in a place that hadn't had reason to tingle for a very long time. It was almost electric. </p><p>"May I have my shoes back?" She asked him sweetly. "Please?"</p><p>Draco looked down at her, and in his mildly inebriated state he found himself tempted by her. It wouldn't be the first time he'd had such thoughts about her. He'd had them for years, visions of arguing themselves into a passionate snog, sometimes more. But he'd never been presented with such an opportunity. She was in fact looking incredibly kissable. And on top of that, she was well within kissing range.</p><p>Screw it.</p><p>Their lips met so suddenly that Hermione realized that he must have kissed her at the same moment she'd leaned up to kiss him. Her soft hands cupped his neck on either side, fingertips slipping into the silky blond hair on the back of his head. His kiss was hungry, and she failed to contain a moan. It felt good. </p><p>Draco took hold of the narrowest part of her waist, pleased that he hadn't been slapped for his advance. A moment later he had her against the wall, leaning one arm into that stone while his other hand cupped her cheek possessively. Her passionate response threw him, but he loved it. He let his mouth claim dominance over hers, and heard her moan into him once again. He could sense himself becoming excited, a stirring that he knew was a very, very bad thing in this moment, with this girl. He stepped away from her quickly, as though her lips had scorched him.</p><p>"Go to bed," he ordered her, a warning she didn't seem to comprehend, as he held her shoes out to him at arm’s length. They were only steps away now from the side by side doors that separated the newly installed Head Boy and Head Girl dwellings.</p><p>Hermione pouted.</p><p>"Now," Draco insisted. </p><p>She pushed away from the wall and retrieved her footwear, and traveled the small space to their doors, but instead of entering her own room, Hermione spoke his password and disappeared behind his door. Draco chased after her. "I meant your bed!" </p><p>Her shoes had been dropped near the door, and a few feet away he found, much to his astonishment, Hermione's little black dress. He knew she’d been close to losing it. "I mean it Granger. Don't start something, because I'm not a nice guy. I will finish it." She was standing halfway between him and his bedroom, walking backwards as she unhooked her bra. Draco watched as it fell to the floor as well. Her newly revealed breasts were just what he thought they'd be, somewhat small, but perky and round. For their size they appeared firm and full. He wanted quite badly to find out for himself. </p><p>Hermione let him stare at her a moment longer. It was fun, the look on his face, the way he warred with himself over whether or not to take advantage of poor drunk Hermione Granger. Only Hermione had already made up her mind. Tonight was going to be the night she did everything she wasn't supposed to. And going to bed with Draco Malfoy had moved to the top of that list the moment they'd kissed. He was going to ensure that she would never be that poor prudish girl who only knew one man for her all of her days.</p><p>She turned and walked into his room. A moment later her thong underwear came flying out the door.</p><p>Draco watched the unusually lewd behavior in shock. Somewhere just inside his bedroom was a very drunk, very naked Hermione Granger. And he was just drunk enough to not feel like a predator as he followed after her.</p><p>He found her seated on the edge of his bed, cross-legged, leaning back on her hands with her tantalizing chest jutted out in his direction. Draco had long since realized that she had grown to be a very attractive young woman. What he'd never realized was just how sexy she was. Her stare was daring, and she bit her lip seductively. He was no damn fool. He couldn't let this opportunity slip away.</p><p>“You said you wanted a private show.”</p><p>The pounding of Hermione's heart echoed loudly in her fuddled head. He'd promised her he'd finish it, and Merlin did she hope he meant that, because she didn't think she could bear the humiliation of being rejected by a womanizer like Draco Malfoy. When he entered the room and found her, he looked as though he wanted to do horrible, dirty things to her. She wanted him to, too. </p><p>She watched as he began to undress before her, his fingers working his cuff-links and discarding them on the dresser behind him while simultaneously stepping out of his shiny black shoes. He disposed of his dress shirt as quickly as he could, revealing a hard, narrow torso. He was tall and lean, but strong looking, his body shaped by a physically active lifestyle, not built upon forcefully through weight lifting. Even his lengthy arms were defined, and she wondered how he might use them on her tonight.</p><p>He was working his belt now, and made show of removing the entire leather piece from its loops. Hermione squirmed where she sat, the heat between her legs aching in anticipation. Her eyes were locked on his hands, which were unfastening his trousers at an agonizing pace. Her lips parted slightly as they were pushed down his hips, the tiniest gasp of air escaping her, and he was free, as naked and vulnerable as her. </p><p>He captured her face in his hands, her lips with his own. It was raw, thoughtless passion that made goose pimples rise on her skin even though the room was sufficiently warm. One of her arms wrapped around his neck, the other still behind her she moved further up the bed, pulling him with her. When finally her head hit the pillow she broke away with a large intake of much needed oxygen.</p><p>As soon as their lips parted Draco kissed his way down to those beautiful tits she'd displayed so proudly for him. He spoiled them with touch, feathery kisses, and sucked each peak into his mouth in turn with a moan. Her back arched into his treatment. </p><p>"Oh yes…" Hermione whispered in approval, threading the fingers of one hand into his hair, the other into her own. He ran his tongue up the valley between both hills, and down again, traveling south to worship other parts of her. </p><p>She spread her legs to receive him, and Draco held her thighs apart to look at her petite pink cunt. He looked forward to tasting it. Still holding her open, he used his thumbs to spread her lips to find her shiny with the slick from her excitement, and ran his tongue up the length of the sweet treasure.</p><p>Hermione moaned and writhed underneath him. Her fingers pawing at his scalp while he devoured her. She hadn't experienced anything quite like it. It didn't seem like he found it obligatory at all. He was enjoying himself! That fact alone was a significant turn-on. After he sucked hard on her clit with his nose pressed into the small patch of hair she allowed to remain there, causing her legs to spasm out of her control, Hermione pulled him up by his hair.</p><p>"Are you going to shag me or what?" She asked him breathlessly.</p><p>The responding smirk was feral, and he climbed back up her body, kissing her passionately as he thrust into her sopping wet core. It took four tries in total for her tightness to accept his full length, stretching her like she hadn't been stretched in many many months. She wrapped her legs around him and mewled like a cat in heat against his lips. Her arms went around him as well, fingertips digging into his back.</p><p>He wasn't gentle, and Hermione loved that. She'd made love to her boyfriend during the summer, but she'd never been good and fucked, and that was what her alcohol infused body craved so badly. After a few minutes he rose to a sitting position, smirked down at her, and ordered her turn over onto her stomach. She was already panting and sweating despite the fact that she wasn't doing anything more than receiving him, and at his command she turned, moving onto her knees but keeping her upper half lowered to the mattress. </p><p>His hands were on her hips, and a moment later she cried out, caught off guard by how intense this new position proved, how deep it put him inside of her. "Oh, yes, Merlin yes!" Hermione praised his efforts. Her whole body rocked with each forceful thrust. She was lightheaded and giddy, so much so that she chuckled between moans and gasps. She was sure she'd had at least two or three orgasms, but she couldn't think straight to keep count.</p><p>"More!" Hermione cried out after several minutes of taking the brutal impact of the change in position. Draco knew she was loving it, he was loving it too. He'd felt her walls clamping down on him violently, heard the unmistakable sounds of ecstasy that poured out of her, and the visual of his own cock moving in and out of her was to be his new favorite memory. "I want more! Fuck me harder! Don't hold back!"</p><p>He wasn't sure if he should. Her body's repeated attempts to send him spiraling over the edge were nearly winning. He didn't know how much longer he could last. He usually had so much more stamina.</p><p>But she was asking so nicely…</p><p>Thinking of how he could intensify this moment, Draco slowed, spread her cheeks, and aimed a modest gathering of saliva to fall gently just above her unoccupied opening. With a well manicured finger, he pressed the slick fluid into that opening, swirling and teasing it until his finger began to dip inside. </p><p>"Oh God," Hermione groaned. "Yes! Do it. Do anything!" Never in a million years would she have expected to actually agree to any sort of anal play, but if this was his idea of "more" maybe he knew what he was doing?</p><p>Draco wished his wand was within arm's reach. He reached behind him, casting a silent, wordless summoning charm. The wand soaring into his open hand surprised him, and he nearly dropped it. He hasn't expected that to work. Now armed, Draco summoned again, this time calling forth a small bottle from his bedside table. He tugged the cork off with his teeth, and poured a small amount of the sweet smelling liquid into the hole with his finger, which moved in and out of her in a twisting motion. More liquid, and a second finger, stretching the orifice as it’d never known.</p><p>This was crazy. It was absolutely crazy. It was all Hermione could think as she felt his cock moving inside of her, his fingers gaping her. A few moments after a third finger was added to her backside Hermione came loudly, toes curling as she clawed at the bedding. “Just do it already! I want to feel it!” she whimpered. She’d never do this again, she was absolutely sure of it. And she’d never consider letting Ron do anything like this to her. He’d never respect her again. But Malfoy barely respected her to begin with, so what was the risk? </p><p>Draco chuckled, and removed his fingers, taking another moment to slam himself into her at a furious pace, before slowing gradually and withdrawing. He pressed himself instead to the newly prepared hole. He poured more of the lubricant and spread it over his shaft, before carefully pushing in.</p><p>Hermione’s head was spinning, and the butterflies in her stomach were almost nauseating. She willed herself to relax to the intrusion. She’d consented to this. She’d asked for this. She could feel just the engorged head inside of her now, and he was pressing forward still, millimetre by millimetre, in and out. Each time he moved forward he fit more of himself inside of her. Hermione grew impatient. The stretching was bearable, and she suspected the lubricant had something to do with that. A numbing agent, if she had to guess. Finally, after what felt like for too many minutes, he was inside of her. She could feel his pelvis pressed firmly against her, indicating that he was fully submerged in her willing arse.</p><p>“Fuck, Granger…” Draco groaned as though he was complaining, when really it was praise. “It’s so tight. Fuck, you feel so good…” He moved in her steadily, his pace picking up speed as her muscles relaxed and accepted him. </p><p>“It’s good,” Hermione agreed, not hating the way it felt. In fact, it was possibly the most intense thing she’d ever felt, and the faster he moved, the more intense it grew still. She could feel that he was still holding back, though, and while she appreciated the care, she felt after several minutes that she had properly adjusted to the sensation. “Oh shite, Malfoy, please, more. Harder,” she whined. “Fuck me!” If she was going to commit a sin this regrettable, she didn’t want him to hold back one bit.</p>
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<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Office Party</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hermione Granger-Weasley attends a party in her own honor, but the absence of her husband catches the attention of one colleague who recognizes that their might be trouble in paradise for the most brilliant and successful witch of her age.</p><p>Chapter tags: Consensual Drunk Sex, Sex, Anal Sex, Oral Sex, Ass-Eating</p>
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</div>Hermione Granger-Weasley was not typically one to drink to excess, especially not at work. She liked to keep her wits about her, not to mention she had a reputation to protect. But on this particular November evening she didn’t believe she’d get through the night without several strong martinis to keep the smile on her face. It was a party, after all, a party in her honor no less, but her husband, bored with his own career and jealous of her success, had decided at the last minute that he wasn’t coming. The nerve of him, leaving her to curve all of the prying questions by herself. She’d made up some excuse about him having to stay home with the kids, which was ridiculous, of course, as they had no shortage of babysitters at their disposal. And now, she was on her third gin martini, with only a few olives in her stomach to absorb it. She was decently tipsy, and was finally beginning to enjoy herself a little.<p>It was a moderately sized event, with dozens, maybe close to a hundred important witches and wizards and other magical beings of influence gathered to congratulate Hermione on her recent promotion. Some said there was even speculation about a future Minister of Magic nomination in the cards for her. It would have been a perfect evening, if not for the anger boiling inside of her at her not so supportive husband. She wondered bitterly why she ever thought he’d mature one day. She’d been so impressed with him, going into the Auror academy, working hard to prove himself. She’d never seen him try so hard, and it was very attractive on him. But when he retired from the field to help his brother at the joke shop, his ego took a noticeable blow.</p><p>“Due for another already?” the familiar voice of a tall blond came from near the bar. She hadn’t realized she’d finished off her last drink in the midst of her bitter musings. Draco Malfoy had proven himself useful in the twelve years since the end of Voldemort’s reign of terror. He, too, worked in the ministry, which made them colleagues. And since after the war he gave up on his bullying ways, they respected one another, bordering on friends, or at least, they were friendly. As friendly as it was possible to be with Ron Weasley, the most jealous, grudge-holding man imaginable for a husband.</p><p>Hermione let out a short chuckle. “Suppose so,” she agreed as she approached the bar. The bartender set to preparing the guest of honor yet another drink.</p><p>“So, no Mr. Granger tonight?” Malfoy couldn’t help but ask, because the absence was hard to miss. His relationship with Hermione, and even Harry Potter, had strengthened over the years, but he’d still found it impossible to respect the redheaded husband. After all, the man was such a joke that he threw away his career to literally run a joke shop.</p><p>“‘Fraid not,” Hermione agreed, turning to look at her colleague with no sign of amusement. </p><p>“Uh oh,” Draco started, seeing her expression. If there was one thing he knew about this Gryffindor, it was that she wasn’t a woman to be crossed. “Sounds like someone’s sleeping on the couch tonight.”</p><p>She scoffed, knowing that he’d be asleep in bed long before she made it home. If anyone would be on the couch tonight, it’d be her. “Only if I levitate his snoring arse there when I get home.”</p><p>Hermione wasn’t sure why she chose to lie to everyone else about her spouse’s whereabouts, but with Malfoy, she felt no shame in expressing her disdain. Perhaps it was because she knew he was probably the only person here who wouldn’t make excuses for Ron, or hear them in his defense for that matter. Could also be the abundance of gin running through her.</p><p>She opened her purse and began digging through it, before sighing in defeat. “I’ve left my phone in my office,” she declared. Not all wizarding families had adjusted to the modern age of cellulars, but as a parent, she’d found there was no denying the practical benefits of being able to reach her family members at a moment’s notice. Most of her generation, in particular, had adapted. It was 2010, for Merlin’s sake. “If anyone comes looking for me, I’ve gone to the loo.”</p><p>Hermione took her fourth and final drink of the evening off the bar where it’d just been placed, and with it in hand snuck away from the party back to her office, which was not as easy of a task as usual. She was struggling to walk straight in the heels she’d now been wearing for fourteen hours straight. When at last she’d completed her journey, she found her cell phone on her desk and checked it for missed messages. Nothing. Not a voicemail. Not a text. Not even a missed phone call. Part of her had hoped that she’d find a message from Ron, apologizing for being an insensitive arse and promising to make it up to her somehow, but she was left disappointed. Not surprised, but disappointed.</p><p>Feeling a little downtrodden, Hermione downed her cocktail in one and decided to try to get some work done. Perhaps in the silence she’d be able to concentrate, distract herself from the bitter thoughts plaguing her mind. She gathered a stack of files from her “in” basket, which was much taller than her “out” basket. A bureaucrat’s work was never done. She laid them all out across her desk, staring at them and wondering where she should start, but her head was fuzzy, and she couldn’t focus on any one particular thought. She began to circle her desk, hoping for a literal different perspective. </p><p>Nothing.</p><p>So much for getting some work done. She was just considering leaving when a knock on her open office door made her jump. She turned to see the same blond from the bar leaning against the door frame. </p><p>“What are you doing up here?” Hermione asked with ever the slightest slur. </p><p>“Do you remember that party, seventh year?” Draco answered with another question. Of those in their class who’d “missed” their seventh year, he and Hermione had been the only two to return to make up their lost time. McGonagall was gracious enough to allow him to return for his final year as long as he stayed on his best behavior, which he had, up until that night. “You drank so much firewhiskey I practically had to carry you to your dorm.”</p><p>A smirk curled on his lips as her face reddened.</p><p>“I was not that drunk,” Hermione countered. “I just wasn’t good in heels yet.” It was a poor excuse, though not a lie. </p><p>“You mean the heels you took off halfway there, and made me carry for you the rest of the way?” He recalled with amusement how she’d quite literally kicked her shoes off, sending one of them flying through the empty corridor. She’d laughed in surprise as the crash echoed in the silence, as though she hadn’t been the one to do it.</p><p>“Well make up your mind, were you carrying me, or my shoes?” Hermione gave Draco a coy smile. </p><p>“Actually,” Draco began walking towards her, shutting the office door behind him with a barely noticeable flick of his wand. If she minded, she wasn’t letting it show. “It was more like both.” He hadn’t carried her, but he had levitated her, while carrying her shoes. It’d been quite a comical sight. It was then that he knew he’d have to help her the rest of the way to the dorm.</p><p>“Who knew you were such a gentleman?” she asked as he came closer. She wasn’t quite sure what he was playing at, cornering her here alone in her office while everyone they knew celebrated her accomplishments nearby. Everyone except for her husband, she remembered bitterly. At least Malfoy had the decency to keep her entertained. “Though, not so gentlemanly once we arrived.” She remembered the night fondly, a well kept secret from her final year as a single woman. “Taking advantage of me and my tragically low tolerance for alcohol.”</p><p>“Oh!” Draco exclaimed, now standing toe to toe before her. “So that trail of clothing from the sitting room all the way to my bedroom wasn’t an invitation you’re saying?”</p><p>Hermione leaned back against her desk slightly to put a couple extra inches between them. She felt warm suddenly. Her heart was beginning to race excitedly. She must have had hundreds of conversations with Draco Malfoy since he started his career at the Ministry and not one of them had ever taken a turn down memory lane. Not like this.</p><p>“Pretty presumptuous to think it was,” Hermione argued lamely. It was getting hard to find a rebuttal. </p><p>“You only had three articles to start with,” he spoke in a clear, calm voice, as if to dare her to challenge his memory further.</p><p>She did not.</p><p>“It was fun,” Hermione explained, turning her gaze away from him. She checked her cell phone, as though she thought a new message may have come in since he entered the office. She found no such distraction. “I didn’t want to have gone the whole year without having any fun.” Draco had caught her gaze again and she was stuck, glued to his steely orbs. </p><p>“Ah, so you were using me.” His voice was still calm, silky even. She straightened her stance defensively but it only put her closer to him again.</p><p>“I figured it was mutual,” she said smally. When did her office become so warm?</p><p>Oh, it’d definitely been mutual. Draco and Hermione had become quite good friends in their final year of education, when they made up from the year she’d missed on her Horcrux hunting misadventure, and he’d missed while fulfilling his Death Eater duties. He was grateful to have been welcomed back at all. However, that didn’t mean he wasn’t still an eighteen year old, with all the needs, desires, and recklessness that went along with being a teen. When she’d tossed that final piece, a lacy black thong, Draco had dropped his resolve.</p><p>“Well, consider me at your service, if you ever need someone to use, say, for exacting a secret revenge on a thoughtless husband.” He smirked, and her jaw may very well have dropped. Had he just offered to cheat on her husband with her?</p><p>“What? Here and now?” Hermione laughed nervously. The fact that she hadn’t whipped out her wand and cursed him for even making such a suggestion was evidence of how angry she must really be with Ronald, if not of how drunk she must really be. “That’s insane.” At least she could claim insanity later, right? Her heart was pounding now, so much so she thought he must have been able to hear it. She swore she could. She should run. Any decent married woman would. Why, then, did her feet refuse to move?</p><p>“And that wasn’t a no,” he informed her. They stared at each other with baited breath. Draco took a step towards her, reaching one hand up to draw her towards him. She flinched away slightly, causing him to pause, but still she did not say it, and with a second attempt, he brought her in for a kiss. It was steady to start, lingering, sensual. </p><p>Their lips parted and met several times as Hermione tried to wrap her head around her own actions. She certainly didn’t not want to be kissing him. Maybe this was exactly what she needed; a secret revenge snog. Ronald didn’t have to know. And then every time he did something that drove her crazy, she could remember that she’d snogged Malfoy, and it would make it somehow better. Just thinking about that made her relax, and as she relaxed, the heat between them rose. The only problem was she was fairly certain that this nearly innocent snog was going to get out of hand fast, as Malfoy’s tongue had begun to ravage hers in a battle for dominance.</p><p>He pinned her against her desk, reveling in the mere ability to touch her again. He’d never thought he could, and almost felt bad about taking advantage of her emotional state to do so. Almost. He wanted to touch every inch of her, to taste the most private parts of her, to make her scream his name instead of her husband’s.</p><p>Hermione couldn’t remember the last time she’d shared such an intense moment of passion with any man with her clothes still on. And yet, she wanted them off, immediately. Her dress fell away from her leg as it escaped through the slit and wrapped around Draco, an invitation which he was all too familiar with. He took her waist and lifted her onto the desk with a swiftness that said that this was not his first desktop rendezvous. He stood between her legs, which both embraced him around the middle, her dress now pushed up indecently. It was long, and cumbersome, and she wished it gone. He must have felt similarly, because his hand slid up and down her silky, thankfully freshly shaven thighs teasingly. </p><p>Draco gave the thickest part of her thighs an excited squeeze, and he broke his lips away from hers to catch his breath briefly. “You have no idea how badly I want you right now,” he shared like a secret as he nibbled on her neck and collarbone. </p><p>“I do, actually,” Hermione informed him, feeling the stiff indicator of his want between her legs. “Now less talking, more doing,” she insisted, and turned her head in search of his lips once more in order to prevent said conversation. Conversation required clear thought, and if she was thinking clearly, she couldn’t possibly follow through with such indecency.</p><p>Draco had half expected her to say that that was enough, that they needed to stop, that his physical reaction to her would awaken the dutiful wife in her and force her to put an immediate end to this frivolity. Instead it almost sounded as though she was giving him a green-light. So he returned his mouth to hers, and his hands explored her body without fear of limitation. He grasps her breasts with both hands firmly, teasing them over her dress, before pushing the material, along with that of her bra, down and out of his way so that he could feel them in their natural state. They were larger than he remembered, which made sense, given that she’d filled out since their last tryst, especially after having two children in the last four years. In fact he quite preferred the womanly figure she had now.</p><p>Hermione moaned into his mouth, distracted by his nimble fingers fondling her sensitive nipples. She arched her back, pushing her chest into his greedy hands. It’d been a long time since she’d been this turned on. She reached behind her back and set to fumbling with her own zipper, opening the dress just enough to release the pressure in the bodice from his rough handling. After that in a bolder move still, she reached down to his belt and set to free him from within his pesky trousers. Her hands shook with excitement as she successfully managed the belt buckle. She rubbed his bulge momentarily, reveling in how hard he was for her. She only had partial memories for their first encounter so many years ago, and this time planned to commit more to memory, if she could manage it.</p><p>With the anticipation of what was to come, Draco’s excitement grew, and when Hermione’s warm hand finally wrapped around his shaft, he gasped loudly, and took a second to catch his breath.</p><p>“Not going to keep a girl waiting, are you?” she asked him seductively, as if he required any further seduction.</p><p>“Never,” the man promised, and pulled her further towards the edge of the desk. He pushed aside the length of her dress, grateful that the tall slit made it all the more reasonable a task. Her firm grasp and steady strokes were what presented the real challenge, as he found it hard to concentrate. He was so bloody close to her…</p><p>Draco nearly tore the delicate material of Hermione’s thong underwear as he pulled it roughly out of his way, and as soon as he did, Hermione released him to his own custody, as ready for him as he was for her.</p><p>“Oooh God!” Hermione called out as he finally pushed into her. He filled her completely, and she could feel the swollen head of his erection pressing against her inner barrier. There was no deeper for him to go. So instead of trying, he began to move inside of her. He showed no patience for gradually working up to a steady pace, there was no time for that, so he moved at full force within her from the start. </p><p>Her body opened for him, spreading herself wide for the deepest possible penetration until her knees nearly hit the edge of the desk on either side of her. Draco assisted, holding onto her solid thighs and pushing them back towards her. His thighs crashed against the inside of hers with a loud slapping , the sound of which overpowered her moans and his labored breathing. She wasn’t shy about her pleasure, she felt no reason to be. She’d asked for this. He’d offered, and she’d accepted his offer without hesitation. She’d have been a fool not to, she knew from experience. She’d dreamed of that night on more than one occasion. In fact, this felt very much like another one of those dreams.  </p><p>The objects on Hermione’s desk shook with each thrust, and soon a pencil cup filled with writing utensils tumbled over, pens and quills falling everywhere. Draco did not falter. Even Hermione’s OCD remained dormant, dominated instead by the need for her first man-given orgasm since the birth of her son. She cried out, begging for him to push her over the edge, when suddenly, he was gone from within her.</p><p>She let out a sob for the abandonment before she was pulled roughly off the desk, spun around, and bent over the surface instead. Her head spun dizzily for a moment before the room leveled again, and she gasped out in surprise when she felt his mouth between her roughly spread cheeks, each of his strong hands spreading the mounds wide. He lapped at her juicy core excitedly, and Hermione fell flat against the desk, gripping her calendar pad desperately. His tongue teased her molten core for a moment more before making its way north to explore elsewhere.</p><p>“Yes, please do it,” Hermione begged shamelessly. “I want it.” He’d brazenly rid her off that virginity that night back at Hogwarts, and it was the first and last time she’d experienced that forbidden method of sex. She’d never let Ronald attempt it, not that he’d ever had the nerve to ask. But she’d distinctly remembered enjoying it, and wanted to see if she still would. </p><p>His tongue rotated around the puckered hole, dipping in and out experimentally. The more he tried, the more the muscles relaxed and opened to him. With a flat tongue, he offered one last wet lick for proper lubrication before quickly standing again and positioning himself in the freshly prepared entrance. </p><p>The first short thrust drew a loud cry from the brunette, who was by no means used to the sensation of being entered where she was usually exited. He’d only entered her tip-deep before withdrawing with a small pop. The second brought him only slightly deeper, and she whimpered, tightening her muscles around the intrusion instinctively, despite it being of her own request. Draco wet his fingers liberally and applied the organic lubricant again before entering her a third time, this time with much more success. Thrust by thrust, inch by inch, he was able to glide in and out of her with increasing ease until once again there was no deeper he could go. </p><p>“I’m so close,” Hermione told him, urging him to bring her to the edge and over it at last. So without further ado, Draco obeyed, slamming into her as hard as he could, as quickly as he could. There was no time to savor the feeling of her muscles squeezing him, rejecting him and accepting him again over and over again. There was still a party going on, and as the guest of honor, she would soon be missed, if she wasn’t already. He needed to get her there, and he was nearly there himself.</p><p>Soon Hermione’s cries of passion were too loud and recognizable, so he reached around and covered her mouth, hoping to stifle her voice from carrying as he pushed her closer, closer… “I’m coming!” Hermione’s scream was muffled by his hand, and not a moment too soon, because Draco could already tell he wasn’t going to hold on much longer himself. He uncovered her mouth and grabbed her arms, pulling her back quickly and then catching her around the middle. He held her there, her back to his chest and his hands clasped around her breasts, as he quickened his pace just long enough to reach his goal.</p><p>“Ugh.. fuck…” Draco groaned as he finished with several staggered, harsh thrusts, emptying himself safely inside of her.</p><p>She leaned back against him for a moment, panting heavily with her head on his shoulder, before slumping forward onto the desk, her body temporarily drained of all stamina. He resented the loss of her, but enjoyed the sight of her bent over, her thong and undoubtedly expensive gown now falling back into place and smearing the seed that was beginning to spill out of her.</p><p>Draco performed a simple cleaning spell on himself, and on her for good measure, before beginning to refasten his pants.</p><p>“For the record,” He confessed with a chuckle. “I was kidding, about the whole revenge thing…” He did in fact feel the need to state that, for the record.</p><p>“For the record,” Hermione began to reply, turning around and forcing each breast back into the confines of her bra before adjusting her dress. She wiped some sweat from her bosom and ran her fingers through her very tousled hair. “I didn’t care.” She may have known he was kidding, but she didn’t let that stop her from taking him up on the offer.</p><p>With a coy smirk on his face, one that she remembered so well from their final year at Hogwarts together, Draco grasped a fistful of hair on the underside of Hermione’s head and pulled her in for an aggressive kiss. “Good.” He liked that she didn’t mind being handled a little roughly. She was a strong woman, which was what attracted him to her in the first place. The grin she wore when he released her confirmed that.</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Lift</h2></a>
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            <p>Hermione has a few weeks to think about her completely inappropriate experience with Draco before having to find herself alone with him again. This proves troublesome for the wife of another.</p><p>Chapter tags: Sex, Oral Sex, Spanking</p>
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</div>Over the next few weeks Hermione struggled to take her mind off of the night Draco bent her over her own desk and fulfilled the need she didn’t realize she’d had. It didn’t help that he was always around, working in close proximity with her department, and giving her coy looks every chance he got. He clearly had no regrets for their time together, despite being just as married as she was, but then again she, strangely, didn’t regret it either. She knew it was wrong, without a doubt, but if she were to do it over again she wouldn’t do it any differently.<p>Her husband was completely oblivious, naturally. When she came home she found him sleeping on the couch in front of the television, which was still on. She’d had the opportunity to shower the scent of sex off of her body before seeing him at breakfast. He made an obligatory apology, to which she’d offered obligatory forgiveness. They didn’t bring it up again, but things were different after that; there was a shift in their relationship, which felt much like a death sentence. It was almost inevitable now. Every day she wondered when it would happen, what the trigger would be, and who would be the first one to say it out loud.</p><p>In the meantime, it was business as usual. During the day Rose and Hugo were at the Burrow with Grandma Molly. Ronald worked at the joke shop with George, and Hermione worked at the Ministry. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays Ron worked the day shift and picked up the kids before dinner, which they often stayed at the Borrow for so that the kids wouldn't be exposed to Ronald's cooking. Tuesdays and Thursdays Hermione left work early so that she could have dinner with the kids. The weekends were reserved for family, except for when Ron was needed at the store, which seemed to be more frequent now that George and Angelina were preparing to have another baby. They had a solid routine. She had no room to complain, though she wasn't sure that was the same as being happy.</p><p>It was three weeks before Hermione found herself alone with him again, which was by no means an accident.</p><p>"Granger, stay a minute, I'd like to discuss something with you," Draco suggested as their weekly inter-department meeting concluded, and the other witches and wizards present made their way out of the conference room. Hermione was sure this had nothing to do with work, and the thought caused an anxious thudding in her chest. She wasn't sure she could be alone with him. She was embarrassed, of herself, and the things she'd not only let him do to her, but asked him to do. She didn't understand what came over her when she was around him. She'd never been remotely inclined towards such depravity within any of her relationships, and they weren't even in one!</p><p>She made no move as the room cleared out, and when they were alone, she avoided his gaze, instead straightening the stack of reports in her hands. "What did you want to talk about?" She asked with her eyes concentrated solely on the papers.</p><p>Draco chuckled to himself as he watched her awkwardly avoid him. She hadn't had this problem minutes ago when the room was filled with colleagues. She'd been her usual bold, opinionated, quick-witted self. He liked that about her. He'd come to like a lot of things about her, in fact, not least of which was the way her white lacy top bloused over that form fitting navy pencil skirt, which hugged her curves just so. He found himself staring down that lacy blouse when she spoke and drew his attention away.</p><p>"Ah, well, I was thinking." With a barely visible flick of his wand, the blinds on the conference room windows dropped shut from all sides at once, obscuring them from anyone's view. Hermione jumped noticeably, finally looking up to meet his gaze in surprise.</p><p>"Malfoy," she started to interrupt in warning. Whatever he was up to, it was sure to be a human resources nightmare. But he didn't feel the threat, because he knew something she didn't.</p><p>"We need to talk about what happened," he continued as though he hadn't been interrupted. "Because clearly it's creating a problem." It wasn't, not really, they didn't work together enough for what happened to actually have an effect on job performance, but he said it anyway, because he'd given it quite a bit of thought, and he wondered just how far he could take things with her. But first, he had to find out where she stood, and in order to do that he had to get her alone.</p><p>"It's not creating a problem," Hermione denied with a huff, as he knew she would. "We had too much to drink, things went a little too far, and then it was over." There was really no need to talk about it, was there? "I'm ready to move on when you are." She held eye contact deliberately this time, attempting to show that she meant it. Did he always have to be such a prat?</p><p>"Oh, I'm not even remotely ready to move on," Draco said to her boldly. "In fact I'd much like a repeat performance." </p><p>Hermione all but shuddered at such an admission. "Don't be stupid," she said to him with wide eyes. "We're married, to other people." She didn't know why that needed to be explained.</p><p>Draco approached her, and to his surprise she didn't move away. “That has nothing to do with it.”</p><p>"It has everything to do with it!" she countered. He was standing right in front of her now, so close that she could smell his aftershave, and see the details in the silver tie pin that held the accessory flat against its matching shirt. Only a man as secure in himself as Draco Malfoy could wear a pale gray suit with a lavender colored shirt and look so… dashing. Her eyes flew back up to meet his when she realized they had begun to wander. "I love my husband!" </p><p>For the first time, the words felt like a lie on her tongue, and a twinge of pain rushed through her as she came to the realization. "And you love your wife," she added the weak assumption.</p><p>"You're right about that," he told her. "I do love my wife. She's my best friend, the mother of my child, my partner." </p><p>"So how could you even consider-"</p><p>"Astoria hasn't touched me since our son was conceived!" Draco interrupted once more with a laugh. "We have an agreement; I don't bring any other witches into our home, and neither does she." He recognized the moment the brightest witch of their age put two and two together.</p><p>"Oh," she said smally. "Oh!" Well, that explained his complete lack of shame, he had no reason for it. It's not exactly cheating if you're playing by the house rules. Except that he was trying to get her to engage in was most definitely not a pre-approved extramarital activity. "But my marriage," she challenged, "It still means something. We have children. We-"</p><p>His lips were on hers suddenly, much to her chagrin. Who did he think he was? And why was she kissing him back? It took a moment for her senses to return, and she pulled away to slap him just as she had all those years ago. The sound echoed in the room and for a moment neither of them said anything. Her chest heaved angrily. There were too many thoughts in her head, thoughts of him, and all the ways he knew how to please her. Thoughts of her family, her all but perfect family, and thoughts of her husband. </p><p>Hermione knew right from wrong. She'd fought for what she believed was right her whole life. She'd never, ever compromised in her morals. Even with all the rules and laws she'd broken, she'd done it all for the greater good. So what was the greater good in this? This horrible, nagging desire to let Draco talk her into doing something that was irrefutably not okay?</p><p>Taking advantage of her stunned silence, Draco moved behind her, dragging her hair gently over one shoulder to expose her neck to his view. She shook visibly with a sudden shudder, to which he smirked wickedly out of her view. His touch was so light, one hand grazing up her arm and sneaking towards her chest, that goosebumps formed in his wake.</p><p>"If you can tell me right now-" The breath from his whisper danced on her ear, which his lips were nearly close enough to touch. "-that you honestly never want me to touch you again-" His hand cupped her breast gently and his skilled fingers found her nipple easily through the thin layers that covered it. It was betraying her, it's stiffness exposing her arousal. He rubbed the point softly. "-I'll walk out that door right now, and-"</p><p>"No!" Hermione gasped, her voice panicked. She shut her eyes tight, attempting to concentrate. "I don't know." It was the truest thing she'd said yet. She wanted him to keep touching her, she just didn't want to want him. </p><p>Draco nibbled gently on her neck. "What do you know?" He asked her, his hand moving away from her breast to between her legs, rubbing her through the stiff material of her skirt. </p><p>"I know that I want to do things with you I could never do with him." She didn't think specifying who she meant by "him" was necessary. Horrified though she was, she was frozen in place, making no move to stop him from violating her.</p><p>Certainly he wasn't going to attempt to take her here, now, in the conference room in the middle of the day? She closed her eyes to imagine it. Imagine him bending her over the oversized table, pushing her skirt until it bunched around her waist, devouring her most intimate parts from between her cheeks with his pointed wet tongue...</p><p>The very thought brought moisture to her knickers.</p><p>"And what is it you want to do with me?" He asked, if only because she set him up so easily for the question.</p><p>Finally, Hermione found the will to escape him, pulling away and putting some space between them.</p><p>"Not like this, not here," she implored. She could never get through a day of work if the option of being shagged so ruthlessly was nagging at her as it was right now. "I have to go."</p><p>She opened the blinds and stormed away, not stopping until she made it safely to her office. This Malfoy situation was getting out of control, and as much as she liked to blame him, she was beginning to realize that she was equally the problem.</p><p>It wasn't that she wanted to cheat on her husband, but rather, she wished she didn't have a husband at all so that she could explore this exciting new path without all this guilt she was experiencing.</p><p>Seating herself behind her desk, Hermione let out a frustrated sob, her forehead dropping into her hands. She'd never faced such a conflict where sex was involved. War aside, her personal life had been pretty simple. The only long-term relationship she'd ever had was with Ron, who proposed practically the moment she graduated, and they were married just months later. </p><p>The only person she'd been with apart from him was Draco, a week before graduation, when she realized that it was then or never to experience another man. She hadn't regretted it then, but it hadn't stayed with her like this last time, not as anything more than a fond memory, and certainly never with a desire to repeat it. She'd gone into her marriage without giving it another thought. So why was this so different? Had she truly fallen out of love with Ronald, and just not realized it until Draco took advantage of her resentment?</p><p>Or maybe it was just lust. Maybe it was as simple as the fact that she couldn't achieve such satisfying results with her husband. Perhaps she was just in desperate need of enough hardcore orgasms to last her another decade. There was something instrumentally different about sex with Draco Malfoy. He knew how to work a woman's body. He should, he'd had enough of them in his bed. He hadn't been married nearly as long as she had. He'd had a full extra decade of single, sexually active years to learn not only how to achieve maximum pleasure, but to give it out as well.</p><p>But could Hermione give in to such desires? It could be argued that she deserved it, that she'd been a warrior, a civil servant, and a devoted wife, mother, and friend. She deserved to have one thing, just one single thing, that brings herself joy. It could also be argued that she's a public figure, a wife, a mother, a friend, who has set an expectation for her life that she had to live up to. That there's no place for frivolous pleasures in her life because she'd committed herself to serving others in order to create a better world for her children and all future witches and wizards.</p><p>Mrs Granger-Weasley had a tough decision to make, and no ability to talk it over with Harry or Ginny or any of her other friends. There wasn't a single person she knew who would advise her to do anything except remain loyal to her husband. If only she knew one person who would tell her to just go for it. That no one would ever know, and therefore no one would ever get hurt. It seemed the only person she knew with that opinion was the devil on her own shoulder.</p><p>Within minutes of this contemplation someone came into her office with more documents for Hermione to tend to and she was no longer able to give Draco any more thought. Her workload was enough to keep her sufficiently distracted through the rest of the day, and before she knew it was half past six. She decided to throw in the towel for today, and grabbed her purse to head out. She was alone in the lift for once, most people from her floor were long gone at this time of night. She thought of the order in which she wanted to tackle the work that remained on her desk, as the next day would be Thursday, her day to pick up the kids from Molly. </p><p>So lost in her thoughts when the lift came to a stop she assumed she'd made it to the main lobby, and moved to exit, instead finding herself face to face with the blonde from her earlier internal conflict, who for the smallest moment was as surprised to see her as she was him.</p><p>He was on her in an instant, pinning her to the back wall and kissing her breathless. She didn't have the time to stop him, nor a desire to do so. They worked in unison, her unzipping his pants and him shoving her skirt up and out of his way, revealing a pair of nude thigh-high stockings. He wondered if she always wore them, or if she did so because she was feeling sexier lately. He reveled in the thought of the latter as he dropped to his knees and sampled the taste of her knickers, which he strongly suspected she'd soiled with her excitement earlier in the day under his touch. </p><p>One leg balanced over his shoulder, Hermione tangled her fingers into his platinum locks. His eagerness to taste her most private areas turned her on more than she wanted to admit. He was a filthy lover, she’d come to realize, and she wanted to experience just how filthy he could get.</p><p>When he had nearly sucked all the taste out of her panties, Draco pulled the lacy article down and off of one leg before standing again and setting immediately to the task of finishing what she started with his zipper. Hermione's foot barely rested against the lift floor again before he took her behind the knees and lifted her, entering her as quickly as he repinned her.</p><p>Shagging in the lift, it was something one reads about when someone has been let go from their ministry position. It was not only strictly prohibited, but it was a favorite topic of gossip. On a list of Dos and Don'ts, it was a clearly defined Don't. Participating in it now she felt naughty and dirty and oddly empowered. She was Hermione fucking Granger. She was called the brightest witch of her age. She was a goddamn hero! A hero who presently wanted to be plowed roughly against a two meter wide wall.</p><p>While the position lacked the physical intensity of the previous occasion, the energy in the small space was intoxicating. Draco was thrusting harshly up into the woman rhythmically. Doing her best version of a wall sit, Hermione rode him, moaning loudly with each impalement. Both struggled to breathe, and instead clung onto each other, nails and teeth alike biting into each other's sweaty and still very clothed bodies. </p><p>There was a sudden shift as the lift restarted and continued it's route to its initial destination of the front lobby. Or perhaps they were being summoned to another floor. It was a long moment before Hermione realized that they were running out of time.</p><p>"Hurry, you need to hurry!" She urged Draco, not wanting to be caught in the act the moment they came to a stop and the doors opened. Draco heeded her warning, increasing in speed and strength. His fingertips pressed into her bruisingly, and he swore loudly remembering that he had the power to stop the contraption altogether. With one hand reaching behind him, he felt around blindly for the necessary switch, and when he thought he found it, he flipped it. The lift screeched to a halt, and he hoped he'd bought them the time they needed. There were other lifts people could utilize, this one was presently out of order.</p><p>He took the opportunity then to give Hermione one more bruising kiss before turning her, pushing her front into the wall this time. He slapped her exposed backside hard. Hermione cried out in surprise, the unexpectedly abused flesh stinging from the blow. As soon as she thought she'd recovered, another open hand connected in nearly the same way, doubling the burn. The other cheek received similar attention next, and with each slap Hermione whimpered and cried out, confused by her arousal.</p><p>She'd never considered that "spanking" could actually be so sexual. Sure, she'd heard of it, but she'd never believed it. She always thought it was something girls let men do for their sake, not because it could actually feel good, but in complacency to some male ego trip. She was quite suddenly being awakened to the idea that it was possibly more erotic for her on the receiving end than it could possibly be on the giving. She was practically dripping, her walls clamping down with need each time his palm made contact. And then as suddenly as it'd stated it was over, and Hermione was once again being penetrated, this time with two fingers.</p><p>Draco pumped his fingers into her quickly and roughly, creating a flow of her juices already dripping out of her were being forced out of her with his brutal pace, sprinkling onto the wall and floor. She was soaking wet, just how he liked her. With his wet and sticky hand, he lifted one of her legs, holding the bent limb flush to the wall beside her from under the knee. With her firmly in place, Draco entered her again, his free hand working her clit. </p><p>It was amazing to be inside of her. It'd been over a year since her last child had been born, and her body had recovered exceptionally well. Sure, she had a few extra pounds filling her out on the outside, but it looked good on her. The way she took his length, her warm, weeping cavern, felt as though it was custom designed for him. The perfect depth, the perfect grip, and every time he got a little rough her walls clamped down stubbornly, squeezing as he moved in and out of her.</p><p>He finished suddenly and without warning, rashly filling her with her milky reward. He hadn't meant to, but he couldn't bear to make his needy prick leave such a warm home so soon. He released her leg, guiding the cramped muscles back to the floor carefully. They stood, him still inside of her, both panting and exasperated.</p><p>"I won't leave my husband," Hermione spoke into the silence. She couldn't. There was just no justifying it. They were a family, they always would be. She wouldn't give that up, not for this.</p><p>He chuckled almost darkly. "I don't need you to." He had no intention of leaving his spouse, as she knew, so why would he expect her to?</p><p>With a single step back, Draco's softening member slipped out of her. His filling dripped out after him to run slowly down the inside of her thigh while he zipped himself up. A quick cleaning charm removed all of the mess from the front of his trousers. Seeing her still frozen in place, or perhaps her muscles were still stiff from being used in such a way, Draco bent to help her right herself next. He put the loosed panties back around her free foot and slid it back up her leg, which he nipped playfully as he returned it to her waist and himself to standing. He pulled her skirt back down over her rump, and attempted to smooth out the wrinkles that had formed.</p><p>Hermione finally turned to face him. She supposed it would be useless to tell Draco that it was the last time, as surely it wouldn't be true. She enjoyed it too much, and besides, he now owed her. He'd finished before she could, and she simply couldn't allow it to end on that note.</p><p>"Not a soul-" she began to warn him, but he cut her short. "-Is to find out about this. No kidding, Princess. I'm not going to tell anyone." Why would he do that and ruin such a good thing?</p><p>Hermione reached behind him and flipped the switch he'd used to stop them in route. With a jerk, the elevator soared back into action. She fixed herself up as they moved, determined to be presentable when the door finally opened.</p><p>"No more at the office," she spoke decidedly. She transfigured a panel on the wall into a mirror and used it to fix the lipstick that had smeared in the heat of the moment.</p><p>"You'll hear from me soon," Draco told her in agreement. He'd have to find a place for them. Somewhere where they could escape, take their time, and he could show her what it truly meant to surrender herself to him.</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Hotel Part 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>After much anticipation, Hermione finally gets the invitation she's been waiting for.</p><p>Chapter tags: Oral, sex, lingerie</p>
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</div>Over the next two days Hermione found herself almost giddy. She was extra pleasant to everyone around her. On Thursday she baked cookies with little Rosie after dinner. She'd even given Ron a roll in the sack, her libido rejuvenated, but it'd by no means done the trick. By Friday she was anxiously awaiting word from Malfoy. He'd said he'd be in touch, and she hoped he meant sooner rather than later.<p>She’d almost missed it, the memo resting on her desk when she’d returned from lunch. It was on his department stationary, she almost hadn’t noticed it wasn’t work related. As she read it her face reddened, her pulse quickened with excitement. He’d requested an appointment. After hours, at a magic friendly muggle hotel, one that was sometimes used when they wanted to impress visitors who were in town on business. She was to meet him at six. It was just like any other appointment request she’d seen, except that they had absolutely no reason to be meeting after hours.</p><p>In an obvious state of anxiety, Hermione stressed the entire afternoon, working hard, making mistakes she should never make, and nearly sent the wrong reports to the wrong persons. Her mind was in a fog. All she could think about was how much she was looking forward to seeing him. She had no idea what he had in store, but she was sure he’d have an agenda. He was a planner, he was very organized like that, she’d learned during their year living together as Head Boy and Girl, and their years as colleagues after that.</p><p>Finally, the day was over, and she couldn’t be any more relieved. She’d texted her husband hours ago to warn that something had come up, and she wouldn’t be making it home in time to tuck in the kids. Let Ron deal with the bedtime routine. He wasn’t terrible at it, in fact he was a rather good father, and she knew she wouldn’t be terribly missed.</p><p>She had less than an hour to meet him, and she wanted to think she was prepared. She’d spent extra time in the shower that morning, grooming, just in case. She hadn’t made herself so presentable since her honeymoon. She had a spare pair of knickers in her purse, along with makeup, toothbrush, and any other overnight essentials she might need in order to freshen up. She didn’t know if she’d make it home tonight, so she’d even packed a shrunken down sweater and pair of jeans for the next day, if she needed them. His memo had left no indication of what kind of night he had in store for her.</p><p>She left the ministry, but didn’t want to be too early. She walked down the London streets in consideration of how to use her time, and found herself in front of an adult store. After a moment of hesitation, she entered. Maybe she could find something useful? She’d never been in a store of this nature before. Ginny had tried to drag her into one once, before she’d gotten married, but Hermione had been too shy, and Ginny went without her. The resulting bachelorette party had left her blushing for days, as she frequently found penis shaped pieces of confetti scattered into her flat’s carpet.</p><p>This store was very similar to that one. She had no idea what half of the inventory was. Toys she’d never seen before, and couldn’t imagine the purpose of, videos, smoking paraphernalia (though she had no idea what that had to do with sex), and lingerie, lots and lots of lingerie. From stockings to teddies, to body-suits made of fishnet, and sexy costumes. It all ranged from tastefully teasing to shockingly revealing. Her leisurely exploration of the store must have drawn the attention of one of the employees, a young woman with brightly colored hair, piercings, and tattoos, and the most skillfully applied eyeliner Hermione had ever seen. She approached Hermione gently, asking if there was anything she could help with.</p><p>Hermione, feeling slightly empowered by her anonymity, turned a somewhat mischievous smile to the younger girl. “I’m meeting with a man tonight, who’s not my husband,” she told her boldly. “An old school fling,” she carried on, creating a slightly altered narrative. “I don’t look as good naked now as I did then,” she explained. “I want to impress him.” As she expected, or at least hoped, she saw no sign of judgement from the store associate. </p><p>“Sounds like you came to the right place, though I’m sure he’d be happy with you as you are now. You’re beautiful.” Hermione would have thought she was just saying that to be kind, if not for the way she looked at her. She’d never been looked at by a girl in that way. It was rather flattering. Hermione thanked her modestly. “But, if you really think you need something, I’d go with this.” She pulled down a package from the wall which contained a lacy maroon and black one-piece. “This teddy will go perfectly under your outfit. He won’t see it coming,” she told Hermione with a smirk.</p><p>Hermione considered it, and after a moment, decided it was perfect. After completing her purchase, which included this and a bottle of strawberry flavored lubricant, Hermione used their dressing room to change into the small article of lace. She was pleased by how it fit her, medium being the right choice. She hadn’t realized until it was on her, though, that the article was crotchless. She’d never really worn lingerie before, with the exception of her most sexy bra and pantie sets. Ron was so happy whenever she was naked she’d never felt the need to waste her money. But this wasn’t for Ron, it was for Draco, and he’d had so many more, seen so many more naked women…</p><p>Hermione thanked the store clerk again before leaving, this time making her way straight to the hotel. Her nerves were beginning to quake with excitement. She stopped at the bar for a single drink to calm herself, before returning to the lobby to wait for him. She’d barely seated herself when she saw him at reception. She’d walked right past him. He appeared to be checking into his reservation. Their reservation. She didn’t dare approach, but instead watched as he turned expectantly towards the door, looking for her she assumed. His eyes continued to scan the room, and she felt her heart skip a beat when his gaze finally landed on her. He smirked, and stepped towards her purposefully. </p><p>“You came,” he said, and she was surprised to hear that he seemed relieved. Had he thought she wouldn’t?</p><p>“Well, not for a few weeks but I’m sure you’ll take care of that,” she replied, her own quick wit shocking even herself.</p><p>Draco could have kissed her then and there. If he wasn’t in the habit of conducting business here, he might have. He had no intention of making this hotel their regular spot. He was just hoping that after tonight there would be a reason to find one. She’d come, and that was a start. Now he just had to keep her coming, and he was more than confident he was up to the task.</p><p>“Shall we?” he asked, turning with an arm outreached towards the elevators. </p><p>They walked with modest spacing between them as they made their way to the top floor of the eight story building. The glass paned lift required them to be on their best behavior this time, so they traveled upwards in silence, the tension between them growing frustratingly. Hermione was nervous again. She’d never “hooked up” with someone in a hotel room before. Whereas he probably did this all the time. She started to wonder what she was doing. Why had she agreed to this? She could never compare to the kind of girls Malfoy went for. She wasn’t young, and super skinny, and sexy, and eager to please. She was strong and sarcastic and unyielding. What if this was all a giant mistake?</p><p>She hadn’t realized her breathing had turned short until they were standing in front of the door to their room. Draco was readying the key, and Hermione stood rooted, waiting as the little light turned green in response to the keycard. He opened the door, and still she remained.</p><p>“It’s okay,” he said to her. With the hall empty, Draco was bold enough to take her hand, drawing her into the suite. With his guidance, she entered, looking around in wonderment. But before she could take it all in, the door closed behind her, and a second later Draco had her against it, his fist tangled into her hair and his lips lingered a hair’s breadth from hers. She could almost feel them. If she so much as pursed her lips they would meet his. The red painted pair fell open, a soft sigh escaping her. His forehead met hers and his thumb brushed against her cheek gently. His apparent ability to read her at that moment awed her. He hadn’t attacked her like on previous occasions. He knew better this time. Her eyes closed, and she just breathed. Seconds that felt like minutes passed, and then they were connected. For the first time they were both sober and in no rush. They could finally take their time, so they did.</p><p>With only their mouths connecting they explored each other for several long minutes, before Hermione could no longer breathe.</p><p>“I think I need to go… freshen up,” she told him in a whisper. Draco moved to let her past, and she moved further into the room in search of the restroom. It was a nice suite, with a king sized bed, a sitting area and television, and a table with two chairs to eat at. Even the bathroom was impressive, with an oversized bathtub, glass bowl sinks, and a standing shower large enough to fit more than a couple of people. </p><p>She took her purse and set it on the counter. She removed the clip from her hair, allowing it to fall down around her shoulders. She touched up her lipstick, not that it really needed it, as it was spelled not to smudge. With a quick wipe under each eye, she rubbed away any escaped liner. Finally, she removed her outfit, carefully folding her trousers, jacket, and blouse and tucking them into her bag. She kept her heels on. They were a basic pair of black pumps, which she thought suited her new undergarment nicely. With one final check of her reflection, Hermione tousled her hair for a more loose look. It was as good as it was going to get.</p><p>With Hermione in the restroom, presumably readying herself for him, Draco set to a similar chore. He checked his reflection in the mirror over the dresser, fixing his hair just so, before he rid himself of the three piece suit he wore that day. He carefully discarded his jacket, vest, tie, shirt, and belt. He slipped out of his shoes and socks, placing them under one of the dining chairs. After untucking his undershirt, there was nothing left to do but wait.</p><p>Finally, she emerged. He hadn’t known what he expected, but it wasn’t this. He took her in from head to toe and back again. She was clothed in only a thin layer of lace, which dropped in a deep v, with only thin strips of elastic connecting it in intervals down past her navel, and from between her legs he could see her delicious lips. Her choice to keep her heels on pleased him greatly. That along with the fact that she had quite literally let her hair down for him. She was possibly the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.</p><p>She walked over to him, standing toe-to-toe with him. Ever the brave Gryffindor, she met his eyes, even as nervous as he knew she was. She bit her lip slightly, and he captured her chin in between his fingers.</p><p>“You’re incredible,” he told her, and kissed her firmly once. He released her chin and began to unzip his pants. “Turn around,” he instructed her, his voice gentle, but his words an obvious command. She did as she was told, her body trembling with anticipation. She had no idea what he had in store for her. She jumped slightly when he moved her hair out away from her left shoulder, revealing her neck to him. He kissed from the edge of her shoulder up her neck to her jaw, and she tilted her head as he went to grant him this. Her eyes closed again, taking it all in. His hands moved around her waist, sliding over her hips towards her pelvis, and meeting in the middle between her legs. One hand grasped the inside of her thigh, while the other found the opening in her teddy, taking advantage of it’s placement to touch her wet lips. His fingers explored her, before two digits dipped inside, his hand curling as he pushed into her.</p><p>“Mmm,” Hermione moaned, the sound playing deliciously on Draco’s ears. He pressed his body into hers from behind, pressing his new erection, which he’d released from his pants while peppering her with kisses, into her backside. The hand on her thigh traveled up her lace covered body until it found her breast, which he fondled roughly. As he did so, his fingers inside her moved with more vigor, pumping in and out of her eagerly. Hermione moaned loudly, glad that she could finally do so without fear of anyone hearing. The pressure of the bottom of his palm pressing firmly against her as he fingered her added to her pleasure in a way that made no sense to her. “Oh God,” she moaned out, her body squirming under his ministrations. He pumped harder then, adding a third finger. He nibbled on her earlobe as her knees began to buckle. He moved with her, careful to not let her squirming interrupt his efforts. She cried out loudly and continuously, the pleasure torturous, as an orgasm washed over her. He didn’t stop until she fell silent, and he felt her body relax in his arms. </p><p>She was sure that if he let go of her now she’d crumble to the floor, her legs weak like jelly. Never had a man done something quite like that to her. She panted just for the effort of keeping standing. They’d only been in the room ten minutes and she was already a dripping mess. Just what had she gotten herself into?</p><p>“Touch me,” Draco issued his next command in the same cool, gentle voice, which she didn’t even consider to disobey. She turned her body to face him again, and wrapped her hand around his shaft without hesitation. She stroked him eagerly. Just because her husband didn’t know how to get her off did not mean she didn’t know how to do him. She held her eyes with his, staring into his molten orbs as her thumb swirled over the small bead of precum that had formed at his tip, smearing it over the head. He gave an involuntary twitch, a small one, but she caught it. She smirked triumphantly, an expression he met with his own mischievous smirk. </p><p>If she was so proud of her work, he’d like to find out what else she was good at. “On your knees,” he said to her. Instinctively Hermione licked her lips, the sight of which made Draco’s cock twitch again with excitement as he watched her lower herself to the floor. </p><p>She wanted him to know he wasn’t the only skilled lover in this affair. She took him into her mouth without hesitation. Her eyes remained locked on his while she lathered up his length with her tongue, wetting him in order to take his length down her throat with more ease. She bobbed in and out, taking more of his length until her nose met his clean shaven groin. That’s when her eye contact broke, and her lids fell shut while she concentrated on her work.</p><p>Draco almost couldn’t stand it. Bloody Granger, always the overachiever. Of course she was as good at using her mouth as she was at running it. Watching her work with such pride, swallowing him over and over as though the pleasure was her own, solicited a groan from deep within him. He tangled a fist, still coated in her juices, into her hair, guiding rather than forcing her head as she continued. “Fucking hell, Granger,” he growled. Her hand was stroking him again now, popping off the tip of his dick each brief moment her mouth left him, each time causing him to jerk and groan. His sensitive head was unable to stand it for more than a minute. He pulled her up by her hair, needing it to end. Instead he brought her to her feet and kissed her wet mouth with a passion that may have passed for anger. </p><p>Hermione’s pussy clenched wantingly as he tugged her up by her hair. Merlin, it was amazing the way he man-handled her. Ron wouldn’t even consider disrespecting her in this way, and she didn’t think she’d want him to. But Malfoy? He held enough pent-up aggression in him to last a lifetime of mind-blowing rough sex, she was sure of it. Or she certainly hoped so, at least. “You going to fuck me already?” she challenged him. </p><p>She gasped as she was thrown onto the bed. Draco removed his pants and underwear, and was climbing on top of her. The moment he reached her he penetrated her. Pushing one of her legs towards her and pinning the other underneath him, he thrust harshly into her, watching the shock and ecstasy on her face with each hard motion. His hips moved rapidly, a practiced pace that was natural to him. He held a breast in one hand, her leg in front of him with her other. </p><p>“Cum all over my cock, Granger,” he ordered her, knowing from experience that the way she clamped down on him in such a tight grip was indication of her second orgasm nearing its peak.</p><p>“Yes, yes, YES!” Hermione agreed happily, moving her body to the best of her ability to meet his every push, successfully nudging her over the edge. “Harder, Malfoy, harder!” she ordered him in return.</p><p>Despite the fact that he had no intention of taking orders from Hermione, he considered her request, and decided to grant it. He turned her over onto her stomach, and before she could react to the change, he pulled her hips back until her ass was high in the air in front of him. Her front collapsed onto the bed in front of her as she prepared herself, gripping the bedding for support. He tore the fabric of her teddy to widen the opening, and was inside of her again within seconds.</p><p>She enjoyed going on all fours for Ron, it was about as adventurous as he got, taking her from behind, but he didn't have nearly the kind of aggression that jostled Hermione now with each slam of his body against hers. She screamed and then whimpered as she flew over the edge of pleasure. "Oh God…" she moaned in her overwhelmed state. But he didn't stop, couldn't stop. Just… a little… more… </p><p>Draco grunted as he pulled her hips to meet his with bruising force several times slowly. He spilled into her without care, reveling in the way she milked him. The night was young. He didn't worry about lasting when there was so much time to go again.</p>
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          <p>Hey everyone! This is only part 1 of the hotel adventure. Be sure to tune in next Monday night for the next part! Also, please let me know what you loved, disliked (in a constructive manner please), and want to see happen for our naughty couple in future chapters!</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Hotel Part 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The continuation of Hermione's first night with Draco within the privacy of their hotel room.</p><p>Chapter tags: Oral, Anal, Lashing (belt)</p>
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</div>Hermione laid panting under him for a long moment, dreading the moment when he would leave her. It felt so good to have him inside of her. But she rolled over, feeling his gradually deflating rod slide out of her as she did so. Her head found a pillow and she stared up at his naked form and taking it in for the first time. She hadn’t seen him naked yet since they’d started this… whatever it was. She wasn't even sure when he'd taken his shirt off. Perhaps while she was going down on him? She didn't know, but didn't care. He was a beautiful man. Less thin and more sturdy these days, toned chest and arms, with a hint of a six pack on his hairless torso. She felt a sudden primal urge to take him into her mouth again, to consume the intimacy they'd just shared, but shook it from her mind as quickly as it occurred. He was turning her into a pervert.<p>Draco remained on his knees, sitting upright over her and watching her recover and rest. He could see her properly checking him out, and grinned inwardly. She liked what she saw, he could tell. He leaned in on top of her and sucked each of her nipples briefly, as if in greeting, before kissing her lips.</p><p>"You look hungry," he said to her. Hermione's mouth fell open as she considered a response, but she must have taken too long, because he continued. "We should order room service."</p><p>Oh, room service! Yes, she was hungry, and she relaxed under him with a small smile. "That would be good, yes," she agreed. </p><p>A pervert indeed.</p><p>Draco rolled off of her and withdrew a menu from the bedside table. It was about supper time, and all of that physical activity has drained her very quickly. He held it between them so that they could both read it. </p><p>Once the order had been placed, Hermione wasn't quite sure what to do with herself. She'd used the bathroom, abandoned her heels, and adorned a robe the hotel provided. It didn't feel appropriate to be sitting around or eating supper with only a thin layer of lace on. But it'd been years since she'd been alone with Draco, socially, and never before as lovers, if that's what they were now. Exiting the bathroom again, Hermione found Draco settled comfortably up against the headboard, his ankles crossed in front of him. His pants were back on now, which she was grateful for, but he remained shirtless. The very sight of him with the television remote in his hand amused her greatly. Malfoy, watching television! But at least it was something to do.</p><p>"Anything good on?" She asked, joining him on the bed. She made herself comfortable next to him, but avoided any sort of contact. She couldn't very well cuddle up against him, could she? She didn't know how intimate to be with him, when they weren't being intimate. This was all so new.</p><p>"Let's see," Draco started, looking at the guide. "Game show, sitcom, news, news, sitcom, sports, bloody hell, news again."</p><p>Hermione laughed as he gave commentary to his scrolling. "Black Swan," she commented as she saw the movie title go by. "That was supposed to be interesting." She hadn't seen it, but she knew the lead to be a talented actress, and the movie had gotten a lot of media interest.</p><p>Draco pauses and went back, finding the title again. The picture shown was of a pretty woman wearing a serious expression, a crack on the side of her face, as though she were made of porcelain. "Alright," he agreed, and selected to accept the charges.</p><p>If he had realized that it was a movie about ballerinas he might not have agreed to it, but by the time their food had arrived he did find it very intriguing. "There's something seriously wrong with that chick's mother," Draco commented as he went to get the door.</p><p>"I think you might be right," she agreed. Hermione, who had gotten quite comfortable on the bed in the last half hour, sat up again as Draco let the bellhop in with their food. Draco tipped the man with muggle money he'd pulled from his black leather trifold, and set the trays onto the table, Hermione watching as he did so.</p><p>“It’s amazing what twelve years will do to a person,” Hermione commented. Draco, who had just dipped his finger into the fresh whipped cream piled on top of his desert, looked over at her curiously.</p><p>“Hmm?” he questioned, sucking the finger clean. He passed her her veggie burger and fries, and moved to join her on the bed with his plate of spaghetti carbonara. He picked up his fork and began to swirl the pasta onto it.</p><p>Hermione accepted her plate and lifted the bun, scraping some of the excess mayonnaise from it with her butter knife, before replacing the bun and cutting the burger in half. “I just mean, look at you. Watching a movie, using muggle money, using a muggle hotel for that matter.” She smirked at him. “Eleven year old you would be looking down his nose at you so hard right now,” she continued to tease.</p><p>Draco chuckled to himself as he chewed the mouthful of spaghetti. “I’ll have you know, when I was a kid I wanted a television more than anything,” he confessed to her when he’d swallowed. “And what about you? When did you stop eating meat?” He’d lived with her for a year, he didn’t recall her being a vegetarian in that time, not that he’d paid attention. </p><p>“Oh,” Hermione said with a shrug. “I didn’t. That is to say, I’m not a vegetarian or anything. I just prefer not to most of the time.” Being married to a glutton like Ron had opened her eyes to just how much meat a family could consume in a week. It was shocking. “I mean, a pizza’s not a pizza without pepperoni on it, right?” She grinned before biting into her veggie burger. </p><p>It was easier than she thought it’d be, just spending time with him. Their year together must have helped, even if this felt nothing like being back at Hogwarts. They continued watching the movie as they ate, and when the food was gone, they relaxed back against the headboard once more, this time with more contact. A little over an hour into the film it took a turn for the sexual, and Draco was now very interested. He watched as one of the dancers began to rub the other between her legs, and took that inspiration to do the same to Hermione.</p><p>By the time the same dancer went down on her counterpart on-screen, Draco already had his face buried between his lover’s legs. Maybe her cutting back on meat eating was what made her taste so good, all those fruits and vegetables… He couldn’t get enough of the taste of her, or the way she squirmed and mewled in delight as he devoured her. By the time the brief erotic scene was over, the movie was forgotten, serving only as background noise. He was lost in her.</p><p>Hermione couldn’t take any more of it. His mouth was so good at what it was doing, but she wanted something more, something only he could give her. Her fingers, tangled into his blonde hair, pulled him away from her sloppy wet core. Catching her hint, he left a slick trail of kisses up her body until he reached her lips again. </p><p>“Tell me,” Draco whispered to her. “Tell me what you want.” He knew. He knew without a shadow of a doubt. But he wanted to hear her say it. Wanted to hear her admit it.</p><p>“I want you to…” She flushed with embarrassment. She knew what he was doing, he was trying to humiliate her. It was working. She would hate him for it if she could. </p><p>“To what?” he asked, his fingers sliding inside of her then. He pumped them inside of her at a relaxed, steady pace, just to keep her juices flowing while she worked up the courage to admit to her own desires.</p><p>Hermione gave him an incredulous look. “You know what I want,” she pointed out, a moan slipping out from between her magically still red lips. Draco removed his fingers from her slowly, and moved them towards her other hole. “Yes!” Hermione gasped as one of the fingers began to push inward. “Yes, that’s what I want!” she told him.</p><p>“You want my finger-” Draco began smartly, but she cut him off. “No!” she growled. “Then say it!” Draco stared down at her with flames in his eyes. Merlin, did he love telling her what to do. Under absolutely no other circumstance would she ever let him bark orders at her the way he did when they were alone. And she needed it, to be put in her place every once and awhile.</p><p>“I want you to fuck me in the ass!” She shouted back despite that he was only inches from her. His finger plunged deep into her then without warning, and she cried out her surprise. </p><p>Draco fingered her for a moment, using the fluids from inside her dripping cunt to lubricate the orifice she wanted so badly to be filled in. “Go get on the floor, and put that ass in the air for me, just like before,” he instructed her, withdrawing his finger.</p><p>Hermione shuddered as his finger left her, and she moved to do as she was told. She felt goosebumps rising on her skin as she discarded her robe on the bed, and she wasn’t sure if it was from the air or just in response to being dominated the way he was so good at. Carefully, she got into her knees on the rug between the television and the bed. She lowered her chest to the floor and rose her back end into the air, similar to how she had earlier on the bed. For a moment she didn’t know where he was. Didn’t see him. Didn’t hear him. And then, without any warning…</p><p>Hermione screamed in pain, not knowing what’d hit her, literally. When she regained her senses she realized it had been his belt, connecting painfully across the full width of her backside. Both cheeks burned, she was sure welts were forming already. “Oh Merlin…” Hermione whimpered to herself when she realized that the assault had stirred a very positive reaction in her nether region. She tried to relax, but knowing that it was most likely going to happen again had her tense, bracing for the inevitable impact. Just when she thought that maybe he wasn’t going to, the thick strip of leather crashed against her again, the crack resounding loudly through the room. Hermione sobbed, and her pussy clenched and unclenched several times, eager to milk a cock that was not there. “Please,” she begged him. “Please fuck me.”</p><p>She jumped when she felt something make contact with her rear one more time, but it wasn’t the belt, it wasn’t his finger, or his prick, it was his mouth. She whimpered anew. The things he could do with that mouth…</p><p>Draco would never do anything to hurt her. On the contrary, he would probably destroy anyone who ever tried. But if there was one thing he knew about Hermione Granger, it was that if she didn’t want to be here, on her knees, taking a lashing from a man who was not her husband, she wouldn’t be. There was no corrosion, no blackmail, no magical influence of any kind. Truth be told, he’d never done anything like this with any woman, not even his wife. A little spanking, yeah, sure, but the belt was new. The whole domineering thing, he was making it up as he went. Luckily for him, every bit of it had her creaming herself for him. So if what she needed after over a decade of marriage, of routine, of being a wife and mother and a civil servant, was to be spanked, lashed, and drilled in the ass with a brutal force, then that was what he’d do, and he’d do it with a smile on his face.</p><p>For now, he savored her, poking and prodding the puckering hole. Hermione whined underneath him, and he chuckled, finally deciding to give in to what she needed. He stood, gripped her waist carefully, and spread some of the excess wetness over his swollen head. Bending slightly at the knees, he pushed into her in one forceful thrust. Draco reveled in the tightness for a moment before he finally fulfilled her wish. He utilized the power in his stance to drill into her at maximum force, depth, and speed, pulling her hips towards him with each forward movement. He felt like the luckiest man in the world.</p><p>“Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh FUCK!” Hermione cried, her face flat against the carpet as her body rocked with the sheer force of him. “Yes!” It was even better than she’d imagined. At some point a few minutes later Draco had taken a fistful of Hermione’s hair, pulling her head back in a show of power, which she allowed. “Yes, yes, I’m cumming, Draco! I’m cumming! Harder!”</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hermione goes home after her hotel adventure and considers the ramifications of what it means to engage in a affair with her Slytherin lover. Would it be worth it?</p><p>No sex - SORRY! Next chapter I promise!</p>
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</div>Hermione did return home that night, but not until well past midnight. She crept in as quietly as she could to her bedroom, only to find Ronald was still awake. She started noticeably at the sight of him, but attempted a cool recovery.<p>“Never again,” she began, pulling her heels off her feet as though she’d really been wearing them for the last sixteen hours straight. She stumbled pointedly, grabbing onto the dresser for support. “Am I going out for drinks with the girls after a late night like that.”</p><p>Ron, who had been watching television, muted his program, looking unamused. “You didn’t call,” he pointed out to her. “Or text.”</p><p>“I know,” Hermione said, pulling an apologetic expression as she began to remove her clothes. “I’m hoping I left my phone at the office, or else I’ve lost it,” she explained. She released her hair from its clip and stepped out of her trousers.</p><p>Ron watched his evidently drunk wife strip clumsily in front of him, blocking his view of the television. “Did you have fun at least?” he asked, trying not to sound bitter. After all, he’d been at home chasing around two toddlers, and she’d apparently been out sharing drinks with “the girls” after work. What girls? She didn’t have any “girls” at work, not that he was aware of. As the images on the screen changed, Hermione’s half-naked form was illuminated, giving him a good view of her knickers, a mauve satiny pair that he’d always liked on her. They caught his attention because they were not the black lace-trimmed pair he’d seen her put on that morning.</p><p>“I did, yes,” she told him as she unhooked and disposed of her bra. She magicked the clothes into their rightful places, and climbed into bed beside her husband. “I’m just tired. You can keep watching. It won’t bother me.” She’d never been so desperate for sleep. She and Draco had gone several times over the course of their six hour date. She was in awe that she could even walk. Every inch of her ached. Even the duvet cover, as she pulled it over her half-naked body, caused her smarting arse to burn with the friction. It was welted and bruised from abuse. “Goodnight,” she bid him in a friendly tone, and turned her back to him, closing her eyes.</p><p>“Yeah, goodnight,” Ronald muttered in response. The room filled with noise again as Ron hit the mute button a second time, but Hermione barely registered it, already losing consciousness.</p><p> </p><p>Hermione had been too exhausted to analyse the events that had transpired that night, but when she woke up the following morning and felt the deep bruising on her backside, she realized that this was indeed something worth analyzing. She got out of bed early, careful not to wake her sleeping husband, and went into the bathroom. Pulling down her knickers she saw the effects of Malfoy's treatment. Large purple and brown patches covered the surface of her arse. There were a few spots with dry blood, where he'd broken the skin from hitting the same place too many times. She set to work healing the marks before they could be seen by her husband, and before she had to sit down in a chair.</p><p>Draco really had been brutal with her. The way he spanked her, whipped her with his belt, threw her around like a rag doll and fucked her into oblivion, it had almost been too much to bear. In addition to wrapping her head around that, she had to come to terms with the fact that she'd never cum so hard or screamed so loud. She'd soiled the bedding and carpet with her juices as he made her squirt, a feat she'd only ever heard of in theory until now. He pulled her hair, whispered dark and filthy things into her ear, and made her whole body quake with need.</p><p>She couldn't wait to do it again. Even as the guilt gripped her, she hadn't felt this alive in years, and she didn't want to be held down by people's expectations of her perfection any longer. So it was decided. </p><p>She was having an affair with Draco Malfoy.</p><p>As she came to grips with what that meant for her and her family, and the risk she was taking in losing it all, Hermione did as any mother would do on a Saturday morning; she made breakfast. She'd just plated more than half a dozen eggs, scrabbled, when she heard Hugo's stirrings from down the hall. Excitedly, she hurried to get her youngest up for the day. Rosie emerged from her room minutes later. </p><p>That weekend she and Ron had plans with Harry and Ginny to take the kids to a children’s zoo in London. They figured it was the last weekend they’d be able to really enjoy the outdoors with them before the winter hit. With the kids bundled in sweaters and blankets, the four adults packed up their five children and traveled in the Potters’ new SUV to London. It was a cloudy day, but luckily there was no rain to spoil it. Hermione, of course, had mapped out their whole route in order to optimize their visit.</p><p>After their tour of the animal exhibits they made their way to the picnic area. James, who was the oldest, and was pushing Lily's stroller helpfully.</p><p>"I want a pet rat," he declared excitedly. The four parents looked at each other, and all but Ron, who did not look amused at all, burst into laughter. "What?" he asked, irritated at being laughed at.</p><p>"Your mother and I will discuss it," Harry told him, still smiling painfully. "Don't worry Ron, we'll make sure to try and detransfigure it before we bring it home."</p><p>Even Hermione couldn't help but laugh. "Oh haha, you guys are so funny," Ron said. He hated being reminded of the years he spent with a grown man sleeping with him in rat form every day and night.</p><p>"What does detransfigure mean?" James asked, incredibly confused. </p><p>"Well you see your uncle is just upset because-"</p><p>"Don't you dare!" Hermione interrupted Harry quickly. "You'll scare him half to death. Are you crazy?" The child would never be able to trust an animal again for as long as he lived. Ron barely did still.</p><p>"Right. Sorry." James was looking impatiently up at his father now. "It just means to return something to its original form, after it was transfigured. If it was transfigured. If not, nothing happens, because it was in its original state all along."</p><p>This did nothing to help the oldest child's understanding. Ginny intervened. "It's like when Teddy turns his hair blue, and then turns it back to blonde," she explained simply.</p><p>"Oh," James answered, wrapping his head around it. "Okay." He'd already all but forgotten what they were talking about.</p><p>Finally the nine of them reached the food court area, and enjoyed a picnic in the grass across from the playground. When the kids asked for ice cream, Hermione and Ginny had convinced the men to take them. They could use a chance for some girl-talk.</p><p>“What’s going on with you two?” Ginny started in on her the moment their husbands were out of earshot. Hermione cringed. She hadn’t wanted to talk about her failing marriage with the poster-wife for a perfect modern magical family. Literally.</p><p>“Ugh,” Hermione’s groan was a confession that there was, indeed, something going on. “I don’t know. Ronald and I are just…” She shook her head and popped a grape into her mouth, chewing it while she thought. “He’s mad about my success,” she informed her sister-in-law.</p><p>Ginny, who wanted to rebuttal and say that wasn’t true, opened her mouth, closed it, and then answered. “He’s just…” She thought a moment longer. “An arse.” They said at the same time, and laughed.</p><p>Hermione sighed. “I mean I get it. He was an Auror, he felt powerful and impressive and strong. But I didn’t make him quit. He did it for George. And I was proud of him, you know? Making that sacrifice to help his brother. I didn’t realize he’d resent me for it.” Ron had left the force around the time Hugo was born, a year ago. He’d seemed so happy about it, at first. “I’ve always been more ambitious than him. It’s not my fault.” </p><p>“Right,” Ginny agreed. She understood. She and her brother were very close in age, they knew each other very, very well. “I mean what did he expect you to do? Turn down all those promotions? Limit your own potential?” Sure, Ginny had given up her career as a professional quidditch player when she got pregnant, but that was her choice. She was ready to start a family and leave the constant travel and competition behind. She’d never even considered resenting James for ending her quidditch career!</p><p>"Exactly! I'm not going to apologize for my success. I shouldn't have to." She frowned. "Ever since that party at work things have been so tense between us." She set to tearing the peel off of an orange, separating the slices for Rose.</p><p>"I thought he missed the party because Hugo had a fever?" Ginny replied, confused. Hermione gave Ginny a pointed look. "Oh." She corrected with realization. "Honestly? He was so jealous he couldn't be bothered to support you?" she shook her head in irritation as the men started their way back to the picnic area, ice cream cones in hand. </p><p>"But he sure didn't miss Harry's commendation ceremony, did he?" Hermione added in a hurry before they could be heard by their spouses. Ronald had been happy to celebrate Harry's promotion to Head Auror despite not rising to similar success on the force.</p><p>When they'd all eaten their fill, and the kids had tired themselves out on the playground, the group packed up and headed home. Harry dropped off the Granger-Weasley clan at their London terrace home. </p><p>Hermione put Hugo and Rose down for their afternoon naps. Rose required two books and a lullaby, whereas little Hugo fell almost instantly asleep. After, she headed into her home office to see if she could get a bit of work done. She'd found herself slipping slightly behind, and worried that thoughts of a certain blonde were serving as a distraction in the workplace after all.</p><p>Before she knew it more than an hour had passed, and there was a knock on the office door. "Hermione?" Ron's head poked into the office. Hermione set down the quill that she has been biting thoughtfully.</p><p>"Hmm?" Hermione inquired, finishing the sentence she was reading before turning to face her husband. She thought she saw him rolling his eyes.</p><p>"I just got a call from the shop. They need me to come in," he told her. Hermione didn't bother to be surprised. He got that phone call almost every weekend. The trouble with hiring recent graduates was that they weren't always reliable to show up for their shifts, and George tended to be forgiving of the teen pranksters-in-training.</p><p>"Alright," Hermione said simply. "I'll save you some supper," she promised. He thanked her and left.</p><p>She was glad she’d gotten the chance to vent a little to Ginny, but she wasn’t sure it’d helped any. Things with Ron were little more than cordial anymore. There was a time when they wouldn’t even leave a room without kissing each other goodbye. But that was a long, long time ago. She knew she still loved him, but it was the way she loved Harry. It was the familiarity, the history, the twenty years of being in each other’s lives. The romance, the affection, the attraction… Those parts she couldn’t seem to locate anymore, try as she might.</p><p>Hermione could probably have accepted that her marriage was experiencing a common low in romance after more than a decade of marriage, one that all couples experience after having children, and focusing on careers, if it weren’t for the fact that it was becoming increasingly clear that her career success was pushing them further and further apart. She could even accept that as being expected if this career path hadn’t been part of their life plan. If it hadn’t been what he signed up for, however, Hermione had always had great ambition, had always wanted to climb up the Ministry ranks. Ron knew that going into the marriage. If he was counting on a family making her change her mind, that was his own grave misunderstanding. She refused to feel guilty for following the plan. </p><p>She did, however, feel guilty about the fact that she was seeing someone behind her husband's back. The first night they'd shared in that hotel had awakened a need in Hermione that she hadn't realized existed in her. The way he controlled her, owned her, and abused her oh so willing body made her female parts weep with need every time she thought about it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A no-sex chapter, I'm sorry! But it was necessary for some juicy story development, trust me!</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The Bistro</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hermione and Draco meet for lunch to discuss what may become of their new non-working relationship.</p>
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</div>The next time she saw her new lover was during her lunch break. One thing that was commonly known about Hermione Granger was that she rarely breaked for lunch. If she took a meal at all, she took it at her desk and continued working, or else grazed on snacks throughout the day. So she hoped it didn’t draw too much attention when Hermione made a point of needing some fresh air, and for the first time in as long as she could remember, ventured out into London to find a place to eat. Of course, this wasn't as spontaneous a choice as she allowed her colleagues to believe.<p>Never afraid to take a long lunch, Draco was already waiting for her in a nearby bistro, having been seated at a table for two. It was one thing to be seen sharing a meal with her, it would be quite another to be seen standing outside waiting for her.</p><p>Hermione politely dismissed the hostess and sat across from him when she found him, a nervous smile on her lips. It'd only been a few days since their night in the hotel room, and the whole thing had been rather shocking. The way he looked at her over the rim of his water glass was enough to make her blush. He looked thirsty for much more than just water. "Thanks for meeting me," she said to him, trying not to sound as nervous as she felt. She didn't know how to do this. She'd never had a love affair before.</p><p>"As if I would ever ignore a summons from you," Draco replied in a charming tone. </p><p>Hermione tried to hide a smile, and adopted a serious expression instead. "The reason I asked you here is because I-"</p><p>"Want to call it off," Draco guessed, misinterpreting her business-like approach.</p><p>Hermione's eyes went wide. "No, not at all!" she insisted, much to the blonde's relief. "No. I… I very much want to continue. Intend to continue," she clarified, her confidence wavering slightly as she spoke.</p><p>"The things I did to you Friday night-"</p><p>"Were amazing," Hermione wanted him to know without a shadow of a doubt. "Really, I…" she shook her head, smiling down at the table at the memory. "I enjoyed it all very much." When she returned her gaze to him she was blushing again. “I couldn’t begin to say why.”</p><p>“Because you know he would never do it,” Draco explained for her with a smirk. “You’ve been the strong one, the dominant one, the leader and decision maker, for so long. What you really crave is to be on your knees, taking orders, and obeying them, knowing, and trusting, that doing so will only lead to wonderful things.”</p><p>Hermione’s face felt as though it was on fire, and she attempted to cool herself by drinking some of the water that was at the table waiting for her. It helped. “You may be right about that,” she admitted after a moment. She took another slow, long drink of water. “And what might you do, to help a strong, dominant leader and decision maker, like me?”</p><p>“I’d probably do whatever it takes,” Draco began. “To make you forget the weight on your shoulders.”</p><p>Hermione took in a deep breath. It was such a heavy-laden promise, she didn’t think it was possible to keep it. “Why would you want to do this?” Sure, his reward might simply be his privilege to shag her, or there could be something more specific he had in mind. "Surely you understand that if anyone ever found out that you and I…" She wasn't sure how to say it out loud. "Both of our careers would be over. There'd be no coming back from it."</p><p>Draco knew that she was right. He also knew that her career was on a much steeper incline than his own. She was barely thirty one years old, and she'd already climbed her department ranks higher, faster, than any other witch on her path. Watching her success was like watching history in the making. The only other person he'd witnessed succeed as quickly as her at their age was Potter, and that was largely favoritism, he was sure. All the same, he didn't have nearly as much to lose as she did.</p><p>"So we make sure no one does."</p><p>Hermione couldn't help but frown. She was starting to realize that this might be a very big mistake. She'd worked so hard for everything she'd achieved. But then, what was the point of all those achievements if she couldn't find happiness? "How do we do that?" How does one hide an affair when so many people are always watching?</p><p>"Leave that to me." That was the whole point, wasn't it? To trust in him. Rely on him. Let him do the work.</p><p>Hermione looked across the table at him, and despite her trepidation, her smile returned. He was smirking at her, that coy expression that had been many a woman's downfall. "It feels sort of anticlimactic, doesn't it? Commemorating such a massive decision with lunch." </p><p>Draco raised an eyebrow at the witch across the table from him. "Alight," he said, and her returned expression said she wasn't sure where he was going with that. Good. He wanted to keep her guessing. Draco stood from the table, from which he'd yet to eat, or even place an order. "Meet me in the men's room in five minutes."</p><p>Hermione's mouth fell open in surprise. "What? You want to-"</p><p>"Consider that you're first order, Granger," he told her in a stem tone, but his smile was warmer than his words. "Trust me."</p><p>Right. That was the whole point, wasn't it? To trust him. To put herself in his care and allow him to bring her pleasure and release that she found nowhere else in this world. She watched him walk away in stunned silence.</p><p>Well, she couldn't very well disobey the first order he'd given her. She checked her phone for the time, and again several more times. The waitress came by to take her order, and she told her they weren't ready yet. Finally it had been five minutes. She picked up her purse and made her way to the restrooms, attempting to be inconspicuous as she entered the men's room instead of the women's. With a flick of his wand the door locked, and he was on her quickly. She moaned against his lips. He was always so passionate, and it drove her wild.</p><p>He had her back against the door, and his hands moved up and down her body, exploring her curves. He pushed her dress up her waist and rubbed her between her legs. Moaning at his touch, Hermione broke away with a gasp and lifted one leg to wrap around his waist.</p><p>“Oh, Malfoy,” she moaned as he kissed her neck. He chuckled, his lips tickling her neck as he did so.</p><p>“Still calling me Malfoy?” Draco asked her, amused, while his fingers slipped underneath her panties. She gasped again as he rubbed her clit roughly. </p><p>“What would you prefer I call you?” She asked, stretching her head back to allow him access to her sensitive throat.</p><p>“Mister Malfoy,” Draco answered, still peppering her with kisses.</p><p>Hermione laughed. “Mister Malfoy?” she laughed, thinking he was joking. When his teeth clamped down on her offered throat, she realized he wasn’t kidding. Her knees buckled from the shock of pain that rushed through her, and her pussy gushed with a sudden wave of pleasure. He could feel the sudden wetness against his fingertips, and he shoved two of those digits deep inside of her. “Oh shite… Yes, Mister Malfoy,” she agreed. The fingers began to pump roughly within her.</p><p>She squirmed against the wall under his brutal ministrations, and buried her face in his shoulder as an unexpected intensity built in her. Then as quickly as it’d started, his fingers were gone, and she whimpered from the loss. She leaned her head back against the door in time to watch him suck his fingers briefly, before offering them to her to finish cleaning. She obeyed the unspoken request without hesitation, sucking and licking the fingers until she could no longer taste herself on them.</p><p>“Are you going to fuck me, Mister Malfoy?” Hermione asked, her voice quivering with nerves. It was both terrifying and exciting.</p><p>“Is that what you want me to do?” Draco asked her, as if he hadn’t already made up his mind on the matter.</p><p>“I…” She swallowed hard. “I thought that’s why-” Before she could explain whatever it was she’d thought, Draco lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around him as he carried her into the furthest, largest stall. He pinned her against the wall, and kissed her once more. She lowered her feet to the floor, one at a time, and reached down to help him out of his pants. She unbuckled his belt and began to unfasten his trousers, but before she could reach the hardness hidden underneath he pulled her hands away and spun her around. “Oh Merlin!” Hermione breathed out nervously as he pulled her arms behind her back and held them together with a much larger one of his own.</p><p>She stepped open to make room for him, and a moment later felt him aligning behind her. He drew the head of his cock back and forth between her legs, teasing her with the mystery of his destination. Her heart was pounding. He was prodding at her backside, with absolutely no lubrication. Panic rose in her. He wouldn’t actually penetrate her dry, would he? As he sank deep into her perfectly juicy pussy, Hermione moaned with relief and pleasure, but the moment to relax was over instantly as he began slamming into her. She whimpered and mewled in appreciation as he took her roughly against the wall.</p><p>Hermione was back at her desk less than thirty minutes later, and it was hard to keep herself from smiling at her giant to-do list. Draco had ravaged her, stolen her knickers as a prize, and when all was said and done the only thing she’d had for lunch was his completion. </p><p>This also meant that she was starving. She finished a couple of reports before deciding to sneak out to the lobby to see if she could find something to fill her stomach. She made it to the lunch cart, and was poking her head around the individuals in front of her in line to see what was left to choose from.</p><p>“Didn’t you just come back from lunch?” </p><p>Her brother-in-law’s voice sounding behind her made her jump and she turned to face him. “Percy!” She greeted him with a smile, her heart pounding from the scare. “Yes, I did.” She had to think fast, Percy was clever. “But the service was terrible. By the time I got my order in I knew I wouldn’t have enough time to eat, so I just cancelled my order and left.” That made sense, right? </p><p>“Really?” Percy asked. But he sounded like he believed her. “Where did you go?”</p><p>She had no reason to lie, right? “It was that cute little bistro a few blocks away. It really is a lovely place. I’ve never had that problem before.” She sighed. She hoped he didn’t become indignant about her bad customer service. He was exactly the kind of person who would. </p><p>“That’s unfortunate,” Percy said. “I think I know the place.” He frowned.</p><p>Hermione shook her head. “It really was a one-off. I think the server was new. It was the lunch rush...”</p><p>Percy chuckled, rolling his eyes slightly. “You always were the forgiving type,” he told her.</p><p>Hermione swallowed down the guilt that was climbing up her throat. She opened her mouth to reply, but was saved by the call of “Next!”.</p><p>Hermione turned and selected a chicken caesar salad, a bottle of water, and a bag of crisps. When she had finished her transaction, she turned back to her redheaded kin. “Gotta get back. See you Sunday at dinner?”</p><p>“Of course. We’ll be there.” The two exchanged smiles and went their separate ways, Hermione relieved to have made it through the interaction unscathed, or so she hoped. What if he found out who she’d been at the bistro with? Would he wonder why she hadn’t mentioned him? Of course he wouldn't inquire. It was just the guilt getting to her. He was her husband's brother, after all.</p><p>That afternoon Hermione drafted a memo to Mister Malfoy, thanking him for meeting with her, and requesting that he make her aware of their next meeting date and location as soon as possible so that she can work him into her already quite congested calendar. She sealed the memo with a confidentiality charm so that only he could open it, and sent it flying on its way to his office.</p><p>She wasn't sure which sensation was more dominant in her pounding chest, guilt or excitement.</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. The Conference Room</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>No physical interaction at the office, it was the first rule they'd set for themselves. It was also the first rule they broke.</p><p>Chapter tags: Oral Sex</p>
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</div>The afternoon delight shared by the two Ministry officials took place on Monday, but it wasn't until Wednesday that Hermione received word back about her appointment request, and what she received was both unhelpful and bold enough to make her blush.<p>'In due time, my lioness.'</p><p>Well, so much for putting him on her schedule. She thought for sure that she would hear from him on Friday, but the week came to an end and nothing. The following Monday they had their weekly interdepartmental meeting. It was the first time she'd seen him since their lunch a full week before, and it was difficult not to stare. He was one of those men who just looked so good in a suit it was enough to make her cunt throb at the sight of him. Several times throughout the hour she shifted uncomfortably, rubbing her legs together in search of some sort of friction, some sort of relief. And to make matters worse, he didn't seem to be paying her any mind at all!</p><p>Twice throughout the meeting Hermione picked a fight with him just for the satisfaction of his attention. He saw right through her, of course, as she knew he would, but to their witnesses it would look as though they were not getting along, which was at least better than them thinking they were getting on too well.</p><p>When the meeting concluded, he was scowling venomously at her. Her knees felt weak as she stood from her chair. "Mrs Weasley, stay. I'd like a word." The order was so harsh that everyone paused to look between them in surprise. He was straightening his tie in what could only be described as a power play. She didn't think he'd ever called her by her married name. The privacy curtains dropped even as their colleagues were still filing out. She was in trouble. She knew it, and they knew it. What they didn't know was just how good he was at punishing her.</p><p>Hermione stood stubbornly as the last person went out the conference room door and Draco locked it behind them. Her heartbeat was deafening in her ears. She had no idea what he was going to do. They'd agreed not to be physical in the office, but she couldn't help but think he'd provided a decent cover, if he was indeed going to take her, as she'd spent the last hour fantasizing he would.</p><p>"Where do you get off-" Draco shouted, and began taking swift steps towards her. He swished his wand around him, and Hermione realized that he was further setting the scene, allowing them to hear the shouting before quite obviously soundproofing the conference room. It was clever. It was also a bit intimidating.</p><p>"Malfoy I was just…" The air was taken from her lungs as his mouth descended on her suddenly. Hermione groaned as he grabbed a fistful of her painstakingly straightened hair.</p><p>"That's Mister Malfoy to you," Draco reminded her in a growl. The hand in her hair began pulling her down continuously, and as Hermione moved onto her knees before him she realized that he was rock solid inside of his pants. She moaned at the sight, and set immediately to liberate him.</p><p>Draco watched as she eagerly swallowed down his length. He'd agreed not to confront her within the Ministry walls, but she had asked for it after publicly getting mouthy with him. Her spirit had turned him on so intensely that he couldn't let her leave the room without putting that smart mouth of hers to work.</p><p>"You're so fucking good at that," he praised her. His hips thrust steadily into her willing mouth. She moaned as if she was on the receiving end, reveling in her own hard work. She was such a bloody people pleaser. That was why she needed him. It took only a couple minutes for him to succumb to the work of her lips and tongue. "Swallow," he warned, and she'd barely had time to remove his length from the depths of her throat before he was spilling into her mouth. His hand released her, and she moved on shaking legs back to standing, straightening her skirt as she did so.</p><p>Hermione couldn't believe she'd just let him take her mouth in the middle of the conference room! Beyond that, she'd been only too eager to feel his girth sliding down her greedy maw. As she made her way back to her feet she made sure that he witnessed her swallowing his gift, licking her lips and wiping the corners of her mouth delicately. "I think you'll find it was you getting off, Mister Malfoy," she said to him in an innocent tone.</p><p>Draco helped smooth her hair down. "Get a babysitter for tonight and expect my owl. I won't be able to wait until Wednesday."</p><p>Hermione made a point of scowling her way back to her office, when in reality the only grievance she had was at the wetness in her knickers. Tonight. Whatever he'd had planned had been intended for Wednesday, but now he couldn't wait? When she was finally alone in her office she couldn't help but grin. Good. She didn't wish to wait until Wednesday either. </p><p>She got her cell phone out of her purse and texted Ron to ask his mother to keep the kids until he came home. She attached a photo of her overflowing inbox to the message in explanation. She didn't feel right asking Molly herself. It was so much easier to lie to Ron than to his lovely mother, and by texting instead of calling she offered him no opportunity to argue. </p><p>She hurried home at precisely five to shower, groom, primp, and change her clothes. She slipped into a new unpadded lace bra and panty set, as well as an easily removed dress. By the time she made it back to her kitchen for a glass of water, his owl was waiting on the perch outside the kitchen window, enjoying a fresh drink of water as well. Hermione smiled. The water dish connected to the perch had been a project she and Rose worked on together one weekend that summer.</p><p>She let him in, and he offered a small parcel, before taking off again, no response needed. It was just a single scrap of parchment with an address, and rolled inside of it was a house key. Surely he wasn’t inviting her to his home. He’d mentioned that the deal he had with his wife was specifically not to bring other women home. She grew excited once more. She used to think she didn’t like surprises, but with Draco it was nothing but surprises, and she loved it.</p><p>Hermione rinsed her cup and left it in the drying rack before filling the cat dish with fresh food and water, and then remembered that in her excitement she'd forgotten shoes. She rushed back upstairs to make a selection, feeling frazzled and giddy. Her dress was a deep purple, a tightly fitting stretchy material that accentuated her curves, which hadn't actually existed back in her school days. She selected a pair of gold and black pumps, and ran back down the stairs then in hand, putting them on her feet only as she reached the door. She grabbed her bag, threw on her knee-length houndstooth peacoat, and was gone.</p><p>The address wasn't one she was familiar with, but the street name seemed familiar, so she apparated to a location nearby. It was snowing now, the cold air nipped at her ears, but she was too consumed with nerves to notice. She walked until she reached her apparent destination, a tall condominium building in the city. Did Malfoy really possess a condo in the city just to bring his floozies to? Was she just another one of those floozies? No. She couldn't be. She refused to believe he was capable of carrying on multiple entanglements such as theirs. It was just too awful to think.</p><p>She migrated through the lobby into the elevator. The address read number 1205, so Hermione pressed the button for the twelfth floor. Her leg bounced excitedly as she ascended. The reflective side walls of the lift served as a last minute mirror, before the doors finally opened upon her destination. She found the appropriate apartment and nearly knocked before she remembered that she had a key. She let herself in instead.</p><p>To the left of her she saw a coat closet and a bathroom, to her right there were two additional doors, both of which were closed, and straight ahead on the other side of the large flat she saw a large glass dining table with several grey, very expensive looking chairs surrounding it. She ventured forward. "Draco?" She called with some uncertainty. The place appeared to be fully furnished, but lacked in anything personal. Now photos or sentimental items to be seen. It was almost stoic in its staging, lifeless, but also modern and luxurious. How very Malfoy…</p><p>"In the kitchen," Draco answered. He was in the process of pouring them each a glass of burgundy.</p><p>Hermione continued deeper into the space to find a large living room to the left, and on the right she found Draco in the kitchen, standing behind a large marble peninsula lined with barstools. He was shirtless and barefoot, wearing only a pair of dark gray pants, the same ones he’d worn earlier that day. She smiled at the sight of him. "What is all this?" She asked him with a playfully suspicious tone, receiving her glass from him and taking a sip. </p><p>Draco rounded the bar and joined her, wrapping one arm around her middle and pulling her in for a deep kiss. When his lips parted from hers they formed into a wicked smirk. "Well, if we're going to do this, we need a place where we can be free to do as we please." A hotel would not suffice. They couldn't be seen coming in and out of a hotel. This flat, however, they could apparate in and out of without anyone being any the wiser.</p><p>Hermione's smile wavered. "And how many girls have you had in this little love nest?" she asked, her tone bordering on sad.</p><p>"Hermione Granger, are you jealous?" He asked with a chuckle. He set his glass down and wrapped both arms around her middle. "I just signed the lease this weekend," he assured her. "It's warded just for you and I. No one else knows. No one else can get in." Unless one of them let them through the front door, but why would they?</p><p>Hermione couldn't help but smile. "So it's our little love nest?" Hermione corrected herself.</p><p>"No," Draco answered, releasing his hold on her. He took her glass from her and set it next to his own. She remained perfectly still as he removed her coat and draped it on the back of one of the barstools. "It's our little lion's den."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry for this being a couple of days late, I was on vacation and didn't bring my computer with me. Please let me know what you think of this short but exciting chapter!</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. The Dining Room</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hermione and Draco enjoy a few hours alone at their new lover's lair.</p><p>Chapter tags: Oral, Anal, Vaginal</p>
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</div>Hermione felt a chill on the bare skin of her arms now that her coat was gone, but she suspected it had more to do with the way he spoke than the temperature of the room. She could hear the shift in his voice, the transition from Draco Malfoy to Mister Malfoy. She half expected the next words to come out of his mouth to be an order of some kind.<p>The dress that was revealed when he got rid of her coat was most certainly not the skirt suit she'd worn that day in the office. It was simple, in that it was just a solid colored sweater dress, but it was so much more at the same time. Form fitting, with short sleeves, a scoop neck cut that revealed her voluminous breasts, and finishing off high above the knee, leaving a long stench of bare legs down to the stilettos on her feet. He didn't know how else you word it. She looked like a MILF. </p><p>But that dress would look so much better on the floor…</p><p>"You've been preparing for me." He assessed. Her hair, makeup, attire, had all been refreshed for his benefit. "What a good little lioness." He lifted her suddenly, and placed her on the edge of the dining table. His lips crashed into hers in an instant as he moved to stand between her legs, the skirt of her dress pushing up in a most revealing manner. </p><p>She whimpered in appreciation into his mouth. "Anything for you, Mister Malfoy," she said to him through a smile, quite enjoying this game they'd created. He thought it could help her, and she had to admit that so far she saw no reason to disagree. The last time she'd experienced this kind of sheer joy and excitement was… well, it was incomparable.</p><p>Draco placed one hand directly between her legs to pet her perfectly smooth pussy through the lace knickers that covered it. "Is that true? Will you do anything for me?" He growled into her ear.</p><p>Hermione shuddered both at his touch and his words. The logical part of her brain said no, absolutely not anything. She wouldn't leave her husband, that she would not do for him, but since he wouldn't ask that, Hermione nodded. She watched him suck on his middle and ring fingers, which disappeared from view. "Yes," she gasped out when they slipped inside of her, her knickers pushed off to the side. With no more effort than the simple flexing of the two digits inside of her, Draco teases her cunt to salivate. Hermione hummed softly at the simple gesture. It felt nice just to be touched. </p><p>"Take off your dress," he instructed her, remaining unmoving between her legs. Hermione, recognizing this as an order, began to lift the dress up over her head. She sat up slightly to free the material from under her rump, before successfully discarding the object. </p><p>Insecurity washed over her. He'd seen her naked several times, but for some reason she was nervous about him seeing her unclothed in this sitting position. When she was on her back her stomach was stretched out and flat, on her front he couldn't see her stomach at all, but sitting upright before him now, gravity was no friend. She didn't want him to look down and see the rolls of belly fat, which society airbrushed off of even the most fit of models, deeming it undesirable. So she distracted him from all one hundred and thirty pounds of her save for her lips, which met his eagerly.</p><p>Draco allowed this, for now, his unoccupied hand cradling the back of her head as he battled his tongue against hers for dominance that was meant to be his. He leaned towards her, the hand in her hair pulling her backwards until their lips broke apart. He drew her back still, until her back arched and finally her shoulders hit the table. She relaxed against the glass surface as he released her hair, breathing heavily. </p><p>Draco stood upright and watched her catch her breath, and withdrew his two fingers, walking them up the length of her body instead, leaving sticky wet fingerprints in their wake. When he reached the valley between her breasts Hermione's back arched again, and she lifted her face towards him just in time to take them into her mouth. It was a beautifully dirty and intimate thing, tasting her own sex on his fingers. The sound of his zipper falling went unheard. She continued sucking and licking all the flavor away from his skin before, to her surprise, her body was occupied once more, this time by so much more.</p><p>Her head fell back against the glass once more and she moaned loudly. He pulled her further towards the edge of the table, hair splaying out behind her head as she was moved. He pushed her legs open wide until her knees hit the glass on either side of her. She gasped out, the stretching in her thighs was intense. She wasn’t as flexible as she used to be. She was just starting to consider that she should take up yoga when he upped his intensity, thrusting the thoughts straight out of her mind.</p><p>Draco had selected the height of his table with very careful attention. They would not be hosting guests for dinner. They would not be sitting around putting together puzzles. The sole purpose of this furniture was for this woman to be strewn across it and fucked, and he'd adjusted the length of its legs accordingly. He was at the perfect angle to drive into her at full force, which was what he did, leaning forward slightly and holding onto her waist to draw her to him as he did so.</p><p>Hermione reached back and gripped the edge of the glass tabletop behind her, her whole body shaking with the force of his motions. "Oh gods! Shit! Malfoy!" she cried out, gripping him tightly as her passage desperately pushed against him, resisting such intensity. And then he was slowing again, and she whimpered for the loss as he withdrew. She laid still where he'd left her panting. She wasn't sure how long he would let her recover, and she needed to take advantage of the break.</p><p>Draco watched his lioness as she recovered, her back still arched, still gripping the glass, and her legs now hanging limp over the front edge of the table. Her thong slipped part way back into position, getting stuck between her lips. She made no move to fix it, and neither did he. Instead he took a step back, grabbed onto her thighs, and yanked her forward off the table. His arms wrapped around her middle to catch her, as she most certainly wasn’t expecting it, nor bracing herself for the landing. </p><p>Hermione squeaked in surprise, and stumbled briefly in his arms before her feet found the floor. His lips found hers before she could even think, and as he kissed her, their hands worked in unison to lower her thong over her hips and to the floor. She moaned into his mouth, reaching behind her back to unclasp her bra while his tongue tangoed with hers. He stepped out of his trousers at the same time, and as soon as the article was gone from her Draco walked her to the nearest wall, which wasn’t a wall at all, but a floor to ceiling window that expanded across the width of the dining area between the kitchen and the living room. Her back hit the glass and she gasped, surprised by the coldness of it. </p><p>Draco’s mouth moved to her neck, biting and sucking on it, before he swung her around by her hips, pressing her front instead into the bitter cold window pane. He nibbled on her shoulder briefly before kissing his way down her spine. He pulled her hips towards him slightly, and she adjusted her footing, feet shoulder-width apart as she waited, unable to see what might happen next. He was kneeling behind her now, spreading her cheeks to get a taste of her dripping cunt, followed by her puckered rear entrance. He spat into the hole and prodded it open with a finger, then two, but she was beginning to take him more easily now, and soon he was on his feet again. Draco stood and began to line himself up between her cheeks, and Hermione’s knees buckled.</p><p>“Do you want it?” he asked her, feeling rather confident in the answer. She loved anal, he’d noticed it early on, even their first night together as teens. She was one of the few women he’d ever met who found actual pleasure in taking a stiff cock deep inside their arseholes, rather than simply allowing it as a humanitarian act. </p><p>“Yes!” Hermione answered immediately. Her head had been turned to the side, and she turned to face out the window, realizing only then that there was another building not far from theirs. She could see clear into the living units directly across from them, which meant they could see directly in as well. The realization that anyone in that other building could see them at any moment made her cunt flex with excitement.</p><p>Draco placed one hand on the glass next to her, the other he spit into once more, and smeared the saliva over the head of his cock, which he thereafter pressed into her puckered hole. Hermione whimpered as he filled her slowly, withdrew, and filled her more again.</p><p>Hermione wished she had something to hold onto, her fingers pressed against the glass and slid down in search of something to grip, but there was nothing. She moaned and squirmed against him as he began to thrust into her backside more harshly now, and she arched her back, sticking her rear out towards him as best she could. Her breasts were still squished against the glass, and whoever might be watching from the other building was getting a hell of a show. </p><p>Now fully inside of her, his freed hand went around her middle, holding her in position while he slammed against her. The room echoed with the slapping of thighs against thighs and the sound of Hermione’s continual cries of pleasure. “Yes, Mister Malfoy, yes! Fuck my ass!” She couldn’t believe she was saying the words, but they felt so perfect in that moment that she couldn’t think of anything that could ever be more appropriate. She was exploding, her walls clamping down on the nothingness as she was thrown violently over the edge of pleasure.</p><p>The praise combined with the request drove Draco onward, fueling him. His force doubled, and he moved his hands to wrap around Hermione’s neck, holding it firmly but not squeezing it, as he rocked his hips at full speed. She was screaming and moaning, and he could hear the strain in her voice from his hold on her. It was a side of her he’d never experienced, and he loved it. “Fuck, Granger. So fucking tight. I’m gonna cum!” he warned. </p><p>“Cum in my ass!” Hermione urged him. “Please, Mister Malfoy, cum in my ass!” She could feel him spasming within her. “Yes,” she moaned as she was filled. “Oh yes…” He slowed to a stop, and his grasp on her throat fell away. She rested her forehead against the glass as he stepped away. As his cock slipped out of her so did a portion of his load, she could feel it dripping down the inside of her thighs. After a long moment of only panting as the two caught their breaths, Hermione turned around, resting her head back against the window, her back arching so that her rear didn't meet the glass, lest it to get covered in Draco's seed. </p><p>“Kinda wish I had a camera,” Draco joked, looking at the spent woman standing there, the sun setting in the sky behind her, casting a pink and orange glow around her silhouette, darkened in contrast.</p><p>Hermione let out a chuckle, it was all she had the energy for. "You wouldn't dare." The last thing she needed was for him to have photo evidence of their extracurriculars. Or worse, for someone else to find them. </p><p>"Don't tempt me," Draco challenged. He took a quick step towards her until his body pressed against her and his lips hovered threateningly close to hers. </p><p>"You wouldn't dare," Hermione repeated slowly, taking his challenge. She was curious to see what might result from her rebellion. His lips crashed down on hers then with a bruising force. She moaned and he bit her lower lip, tugging on it with his teeth. </p><p>"I'll do as I want with you, witch."</p><p>His words sent chills down Hermione's spine, and her heart was racing again. She could feel it throbbing in her abused and swelling lip. "The iPhone 4 has a great camera. Maybe you should let go of your pureblood pride and get one," she said, bracing herself to however he might react to her sass. It wouldn't be the first time she'd made the suggestion, that he get a phone, which had typically been presented as a criticism, but it was the first time she'd done so as his lover, with an invested interest in being able to communicate with him.</p><p>Draco loved that she was strong enough to give him lip, but that didn't mean there wouldn't be consequences for doing so. “Oh yeah? iPhone 4, huh?” he repeated back to her, nodding. He grabbed onto her naked backside with both hands and squeezed, fingertips digging into the soft mounds of flesh. </p><p>Hermione squeaked in surprise and laughed. "Yeah. I mean I'm still using the 3GS, but if it's not broke don't fix it, right?" she continued, grinning shamelessly. </p><p>"Oh, so I can just use yours then," Draco challenged. He stepped away from her, and Hermione's eyes widened.</p><p>"What? No, you can't!" But he was already digging into her purse, and she felt panic rising. "It's not funny, Draco!" she broke character, attempting to put her foot down. If her husband, or anyone, found such an image on her phone… She didn't want to think about the ramifications.</p><p>Draco began to laugh. Her reaction was priceless. As if he’d ever actually take that risk. He wasn’t that big a fool! “I’m joking,” he told her, releasing her purse and turning to her. </p><p>Hermione closed the distance between them quickly and reached to smack him for his prank, but Draco was quicker, his fingers closing around her wrist and twisting it behind her back, pinning it in place and pressing her naked body up against his. “You going to hit me, Lioness?” he asked with obvious amusement.</p><p>“No, Mister Malfoy,” Hermione conceded after a moment’s consideration, getting back into character. It was fun. It was supposed to be. This was her escape. Her fantasy world. And this apartment, though she’d only stepped as far as the dining room, would be her oasis. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. The Husband</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>After a brief but vigorous evening with Draco at their new rental, Hermione returns home to her family and husband, where she's reminded of her wifely duties.</p>
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</div>After they’d finished their wine they migrated into the bedroom. It was a large room, with a king sized four poster mahogany bed in the middle of it. It was fitted with an elegant black and white bedspread, which Draco levitated away, along with the flat sheet, and all of its accent pillows, leaving just the fitted sheet and bed pillows behind. Hermione’s head had barely hit the pillow before he descended on her, feral in his need for her. <p>Hermione mewled and moaned as he ravished her, slamming into her body mercilessly. She cried out as another orgasm washed over her, her nails digging into his back with one hand and his biceps with another. As he moved the nails ripped through his skin, leaving bright pink welts peppered with just the faintest hint of blood. Draco hissed in pain, but it only fueled him on.</p><p>Draco took Hermione’s legs, which were wrapped around him, opening her to him so generously, by the back of her knees and pushed them toward her shoulders. Hermione screamed for the intensity of the stretching of such underused muscles, but took the initiative to wrap her arms around her calves, holding them where he wanted them. “Good girl,” Draco purred at her with a smirk. He leaned in even further to kiss her, pressing her legs painfully into her front, but it was worth it to have his mouth on hers for that lingering moment. She broke away from him suddenly when, without warning, he slipped out of her drenched pussy and into her ass, which was now several inches off the mattress and slightly gaped from the way his hands stretched her cheeks open.</p><p>He was a devil, the things he did to her body pure evil, and she loved every moment of it. Even as he left her covered in his mess, and bruised from the abuse that was his sex. It pained her to leave him, but she couldn’t justify staying out too late, and she wanted to be there to tuck her little ones in. It was just before nine when she changed back into the outfit she’d worn to work (thank Merlin she’d thought to pack it into her bag at the last moment, lest Ron question the wardrobe change) and regretfully said her goodbye.</p><p>“One of these nights I’m going to get you to myself,” Draco told her with a wicked smirk as he prepared the water for a shower. He pulled her to him in a deep kiss, and she moaned against his lips.</p><p>“We’ll see,” she replied doubtfully. “Goodnight, Mister Malfoy.”</p><p>“Goodnight, my lioness.”</p><p>Ron was still in the process of getting Rose into her pajamas when Hermione arrived. She greeted him with a peck to the cheek before grabbing Hugo and going into the next room to prepare him for bed as well. She changed his nappy and his clothes, and kissed him goodnight before lying him in his crib. When she returned to Rose’s room, Ron was beginning her bedtime story.</p><p>“I want mommy to read,” Rose told her father when Hermione reentered the room. Hermione couldn’t help but feel the tug on her heart at such a request. She missed too many of these bedtimes, and it bothered her, which was why she was so determined to make it home in time tonight, which she barely had. Hermione sat on the edge of Rose’s big-girl bed, just in front of Ron, who passed her the book they’d already picked out.</p><p>“A long way out in the deep blue sea…” </p><p>When at last Rose was asleep, Hermione carefully set the book back onto the shelf and tiptoed out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her. She moved to the kitchen, starved after having skipped dinner in favor of her rendezvous with Mister Malfoy. She smiled to herself as she prepared a grilled cheese with some chips on the side. She almost didn’t notice that Ron had joined her in the kitchen to get a beer, so deep in thought about her evening as she set a skillet on the stove to heat. She dropped some butter onto the heating pan, which hissed as it began to melt.</p><p>“You should really start having dinners delivered to your office when you work late like that,” Ron commented. Hermione jumped slightly at the sound of his voice, and laughed at herself for it.</p><p>“Oh, that’s a waste of money. We have plenty of food here,” she said, spreading some butter onto her bread to ensure it covered every part of the slice. She dropped the buttered piece of bread, butter down, onto the pan, which hissed anew, and added her cheese on top of it.</p><p>“You don’t eat enough,” Ron pointed out, which Hermione found ironic, because he ate enough for the both of them. </p><p>She kept that thought to herself, instead replying, “Since when do you concern yourself with how much I eat?” She tried to make the question light, as though the idea was silly. Truth be told, she didn’t think Ron paid that close of attention.</p><p>“Well you rarely take lunch, you work late three days a week, at least. The only time I actually see you eat anymore is when we have breakfast, when we’re both home long enough to have it together.”</p><p>Hermione turned to face Ron, surprised, maybe even a little annoyed, though she wasn’t sure why. It was supposed to be good that he cared, right? So why did she feel so judged, and criticized? “Not everyone requires three solid meals a day, Ron,” she told him, trying not to sound as judgmental and critical as she felt he had. “I’m fine. I’m hungry now, aren’t I?” As she spoke, she added the second piece of bread she’d buttered on top of the cheese, butter side up, and then flipped the sandwich. She then bit into a large crisp for emphasis. “You don’t need to worry about my appetite, but it’s sweet that you care.” She moved to pass him, and kissed his cheek appreciatively before going to the fridge to put the cheese away.</p><p>“Of course I care,” Ron said, sounding a bit more deflated than he had a minute ago. Perhaps he realized he’d overreacted. “You’re my wife. I always care.”</p><p>The words stung. Did he care because he still loved her as much now as he had when they married over ten years ago? Or because she was his wife, and he was obligated to do so? Because he was used to it? She looked away from him as she frowned, flipping her sandwich again to even out the level of toastiness. “I know,” she answered a moment too late, feeling it was a rather lame reply. When Ron moved to stand behind her, wrapping his arms around her, she nearly sobbed, instead intaking a sharp breath, which she held in for far too long. </p><p>Ron held her there for a moment, breathing in the scent of her. She smelled like… He couldn’t quite place it, but it wasn’t her usual scent of lavender and vanilla. It was hard for him, sometimes, to remember that feeling he’d had so long ago, the longing, the obsession, the need. He took her for granted, of that he was very aware. But he loved her. He always had and he always would, even if he wasn’t always good at it. She was a part of who he was. Finally he released her and headed back upstairs to get ready for bed.</p><p>When she was sure he was out of the room Hermione let out her breath at long last, and with it a couple of tears. She shook her head, wiping furiously at the offensive drops before scooping her finished sandwich onto her plate. She turned off the stove and headed upstairs to join him. She could do it, right? She could eat her dinner next to him on the bed and keep herself together. She was a big girl, and she’d made her choices. The guilt was just part of that package, and the way it ate away at her during moments like this, well, that was her punishment. She settled in next to him, plate on her lap, as he chose something on the television. She liked to let him have control of the remote. He enjoyed it more than she did, probably because he hadn’t been raised with it like she had. </p><p>Ron settled in next to Hermione after selecting a program for the evening, and stole a crisp from her plate. He smelled it again, that familiar scent that wasn’t hers. It was driving him a little crazy, but he said nothing. When at last Hermione had had her fill, she set her plate on the nightstand and moved out of the bed.</p><p>“I’m going to take a shower,” she announced, beginning to remove her clothes. Ron watched his wife disrobe until completely nude, and as she made her way to the bathroom he noticed bruises on the back of both of her legs, just above the bend. They were nearly identical, symmetrical. He thought about what might have caused them, and he couldn’t help noticing they were roughly the size of his thumbs. That was when he realized where he knew that smell. It was sex. She smelled like sex. </p><p>It didn’t take a detective to put it together, and he would know, because until not long ago he’d been one. Working late, the mysterious change in knickers, the bruises, and the masculine musk that clung to her skin and hair. His wife was shagging someone. The thought made him sick to his stomach. He was by no means a perfect husband, but he never would have thought her capable of such a thing. How could she? How could she come home from being with… whoever it was she was with, and simply tuck the kids to bed, like she wasn’t a cheating little tramp? He had half a mind to call her out on it, but why bother? Their marriage was in a shit place, they both knew it. But still, the thought of her with another man, or worse, other men, was rather devastating. Was it just about sex? Was she in love? Was it someone she worked with at the Ministry?</p><p>Despite all those questions, he couldn’t resist the urge to make it more difficult for her. If she was going to be out having sex with some other man, he wasn’t going to let his needs go neglected. And he sure as hell wasn’t going to be at fault for her needing to find satisfaction elsewhere. When she returned to the bed, once more smelling of lavender and vanilla, Ron shut off the television and got under the covers. “You know,” he said to her in that playful tone she was sure to recognize. “It’s still early. If you’re not tired yet, maybe we can have some fun?”</p><p>Hermione internally groaned at the way her husband made the suggestion. He wanted to have sex? Tonight? Now? Merlin, she’d been bent and twisted and shagged so hard already that night she wasn’t sure she could take another round, even if it was just with Ron. But it was early, and she wasn’t yet tired, and hell, she was already naked. Surely she could endure another twenty minutes on her back for her husband’s benefit. She moved under the covers and closer to him.</p><p>“Some fun, huh?” she asked with a gentle smile. He moved on top of her, and she smirked up at him, wrapping her legs around him. She reached up to run her fingers through the hair on the back of his head, while her other hand reached down between them to grasp him inside of his boxers. He grew hard within her grasp within just a few firm strokes. Sex with Ron was easy. They’d been doing it for a long, long time, she knew what he liked, what he didn’t like, and what drove him absolutely wild.</p><p>Ron held himself up over his wife, staring down at her thoughtfully. “Yeah, well, the kids are asleep.” His eyes drifted shut as her grip on his shaft tightened. She was far too good at that. How could he be so disgusted with her and also want to shag her so badly? He let out a small groan, and bucked his hips towards her busy hand. He gazed down at her again, the look scalding. "Figure we might as well take advantage."</p><p>Hermione but her lip. Every once and a while Ron looked at her in a way that made her weak. In these rare but intense moments he looked wild, and they were quite possibly the only times she would consider him not cute, or handsome, but sexy. She just wished she knew how to bring it out in him more often. She also wished she didn't feel so used up. She had no regrets about her evening with Malfoy, but the timing couldn't be worse. "So why don't you go ahead and take advantage of me?" Hermione invited him in a flirty tone that sounded strange and almost fake to her own ears.</p><p>Hermione removed her hand from his swollen cock and tangled her fingers into her own damp hair instead. The next moment he was inside of her, and Hermione locked her eyes with his as he thrust deep into her in a slow but harsh rhythm. The intensity of his gaze holding her was like a battle of wills. She moaned as his pace began to gradually increase. "Oh god, Ron!" she cried out in surprise as he leaned into her, bending her. Her thighs burned with the way he stretched her hips open. </p><p>He half expected her to feel different, for her pussy to be stretched out from being so recently fucked, but she felt exactly as warm and wet and constricted as she usually did. He was torn, unsure whether to race to his own release without care for her, or if he should draw it out and make her scream and cum until she begged for mercy, to show her she could be perfectly satisfied right at home. </p><p>In the end, he decided he'd let her create her own fate. "Ride me," he grunted, still slamming himself into her. </p><p>Hermione was nearly entranced, the rhythmic pleasure both turned her on and relaxed her. There were no surprises with Ron. When he spoke his request Hermione was caught off guard, and she whimpered slightly. So much for no surprises. Merlin, she was too tired for all that! But she couldn’t bring herself to refuse him. She nodded her agreement, and waited for him to roll over next to her in order to climb aboard. When she sank down on him, as deep as it was possible to go, they both groaned, and she began to move on top of him. Her eyes fell closed finally, and she concentrated on her movements, on the feeling of him inside of her. Her entire body was going to be aching tomorrow.</p>
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          <p>Hi everyone! Welcome back, thanks again for reading! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Things are starting to get interesting! Ron is definitely on to her! As always, please leave me lots of love and comments, predictions, suggestions, whatever's on your mind! Every comment is motivation to keep this story going strong!</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. The Wife</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Just a little bit of Malfoy family fluff, introducing wife Astoria and son Scorpius.</p>
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</div><p>Draco showered before returning home, a six bedroom manor he shared with his wife Astoria, an elegant, thin, blonde bomb-shell of a witch, and son Scorpius, who was a wild and rambunctious three year old who was a spitting image of his father. He found Astoria in their master suite, where regardless of who they'd spent their evenings with they always made it back to each other to share. She was in the process of painting her toenails a fierce shade of red, matching the inch tall claws on her fingers. They greeted one another with a mutual cheek kiss, before Draco began to undress again for bed.</p><p>"The boy in bed already?" Draco asked as he unbuttoned his shirt, guessing that he must already be down for her to be primping as she was.</p><p>"For a while now," Astoria answered, returning to the task of applying another coat to her big toe. "Daphne brought over her new puppy. He wore himself out trying to keep up with it," she looked up at him with a smile.</p><p>Draco laughed at the mental image. "I'm sad I miss that, must have been a hell of a show." He dropped his clothes into his hamper and pulled on a paiir of pajama pants. </p><p>"You would have missed it anyway, it was this afternoon while you were at work," Astoria told him with a knowing smirk.</p><p>"What's that supposed to mean?" Draco asked. It wasn't like Astoria to bring up his extracurriculars. They only really discussed it when they needed to coordinate their schedules. </p><p>"You've been awfully busy lately," she commented, and he heard the curiosity in her words. "Just how many girls have you been seeing?"</p><p>"How many girls have you been seeing?" Draco countered, wondering why she would ask such a thing. He went into the bathroom to brush his teeth.</p><p>“Jealous?” Astoria asked, raising a perfectly manicured brow. </p><p>Draco laughed around his toothbrush, before spitting into the sink. “Now why would I be jealous?” He rinsed his brush out and placed it back in the cup by the sink. “I’m married to my best friend, who happens to be an amazing mother to our amazing son.”</p><p>“Ugh, gag me,” Astoria replied, mocking being ill, followed by a smirk in his direction as she moved to the other foot. They both chuckled their amusement. Astoria was never the sentimental type, except where their son was concerned.</p><p>Draco returned to the bedroom and climbed onto the bed, laying with his arms folded behind his head on the pillow. “What about you? Are you jealous? In case you’ve forgotten, you used to be crazy about shagging me yourself,” he reminded her, as he did occasionally. Sure, they had an arrangement about shagging other women, but that didn’t mean he didn’t try his luck with her when he got the chance. It hadn’t worked since Scorpius was conceived, of course, and it wasn’t as if he had the energy to go again anyway. </p><p>Astoria twisted the lid of her nailpolish bottle back into place, and set it on the vanity. With a flourish of her wand, the lacquer hardened into place, and she was free to walk across the plush carpet to the bed. She crawled onto the large piece of furniture, right on top of her spouse, until her narrow frame hovered over him. She smirked down at him playfully. “I have toys bigger and more satisfying than you, remember?”</p><p>Draco let out a pained groan. “Ugh, you wound me, Love.” If he hadn’t just made his lover cry out his name several times over he might have taken it personally. </p><p>“Besides,” Astoria said as she rolled off of him onto her own side of the bed. She removed her jewelry and placed them all on the bedside table, along with her wand. “I really don’t need you double-dipping in me. I’ve no idea where you and Little Draco have been lately.”</p><p>Draco laughed again, discarding his wand and watch onto the table to his right. “You going to sleep?” he asked, drawing a book from his table drawer. He looked over to see she already had the latest issue of Witch Weekly in hand.</p><p>“Not right away,” she answered, and a comfortable silence fell between them as they read their respective materials. It was Astoria who called it quits first, turning off her lamp when she was finished with her magazine. “Goodnight,” she said to him with a small smile and the briefest peck on the lips, which was more ritual than anything. </p><p>“Goodnight.”</p><p> </p><p>Draco woke especially early the next morning, wanting to get Scorpius up for the day since he'd missed bedtime the night before. The surprised toddler hopped out of bed with a grin, wrapping his arms around his father’s neck.</p><p>“Daddy!” he exclaimed in excitement at the novelty. Astoria usually got their son ready for the day while Draco got himself ready for work, so it was indeed a surprise. </p><p>“Hey buddy,” Draco greeted him with matching enthusiasm, wrapping his arm around Scorpius and swinging him in the air before setting him on the floor. “You need to go potty?” After a long night that tiny bladder was probably ready to burst.</p><p>Draco took Scorpius to his bathroom and when he was finished they washed his hands and brushed his teeth, before returning to the bedroom.</p><p>Scorpius told him all about the puppy he'd meet the day before, and Draco listened avidly. “What do you want to wear today?” Draco asked, remembering that he was on a time-crunch. He went with him to his closet, lifting him onto his hip and letting him see the top row of shirts to choose from. </p><p>Astoria had an affinity towards high-end fashion, which was very limited in the wizarding community, which meant that she did most of her shopping on the muggle side of London, Venice, and Paris. As such, Scorpius’ closet was filled with designer labels from Burberry to Versace, and everything in-between. In just the first three years of his life she’d already stocked his wardrobe with enough clothes to last him until he started Hogwarts, or perhaps Dumstrang. They still hadn’t decided where to send him.</p><p>Scorpius flipped through the dozens and dozens of shirts, color coded by label. He seemed to be considering each piece individually, and Draco wanted to tell him to just pick one already, but he let it go. He was probably going to be as concerned with his appearance as both his parents. What choice did he really have? Finally, after what felt like ages, Scorpius exclaimed “this one!”, and Draco pulled down the black and gold shirt he’d selected. It took the toddler less time to pick out a pair of pants, also black, with the world “Gucci” printed down the leg.</p><p>Draco helped him dress and put on a pair of shoes to match the outfit, before carrying him on his shoulders downstairs to the kitchen. His house elf, Nimsy, was in the kitchen already, preparing to make them breakfast. “Hey Nimsy… I think I’m going to make breakfast this morning.”</p><p>The little elf, who had just started to flip the frying pan, flipped it too hard in her surprise, and the pancake launched into the air, sticking to the ceiling by its uncooked side. She squeaked in horror of her mistake, and snapped her fingers. The pancake fell to the floor, and with another snap had vanished. Nimsy stuttered her protest, but moved away from the stove to make room for her master to take her place. </p><p>“You know I appreciate everything you do for us, Nimsy, but I think I’m more than capable of making a couple of pancakes for my kid.” Draco took the spatula, and poured some batter into the pan, which sizzled and spread until it filled most of the pan. “How hard can it be, right?” he looked over at Scorpius, who was now sitting at the kitchen table expectantly. </p><p>“I want chocolate chips!” Scorpius declared excitedly. </p><p>“Chocolate chips, huh?” He turned to Nimsy, who was standing by nervously, anxious to take back over the meal preparation. “Nimsy, do we have any chocolate chips?”</p><p>The nervous elf nodded and summoned the chips from the pantry over to Draco, who opened the bag and dropped a few chips into the batter, before flipping the pancake, which was now a little darker on the first side than he’d meant for it to be. </p><p>“What in Merlin’s name are you doing?” Astoria stood in the entryway of the large kitchen, still dressed in her short satin nightgown and long matching robe. The smirk on her lips showed her amusement at the sight of her husband in front of the stove. </p><p>“I’m making breakfast,” Draco stated, as if that was supposed to be obvious. “Chocolate chip pancakes. You want some?” He grinned at his wife, holding the spatula up in demonstration, before scooping out the finished flapjack and dropping it onto the plate, along with the others that Nimsy had finished before him.</p><p>Astoria laughed and looked at her son, and as she turned back to her husband, she did a double take at Scorpius. “What have you done to our son?”</p><p>Draco, who was now ladling more batter into the pan, looked over his shoulder at her. “What? He picked it out,” Draco said. “It’s not like it doesn’t match.” It was all black and gold, wasn’t it?</p><p>“It most certainly does not match,” the mother countered indignantly, turning Scorpius’ chair so that she could see him better. “He can’t wear Versace with Gucci, and are these trainers Giuseppe?” She passed a glare over her shoulder at her husband. “You’re a disgrace to fashion.”</p><p>Draco laughed, hard. Astoria’s passion for designer labels was not news to him, but he’d never realized there were such rules to go along with it. “My love, he’s three. Be glad the colors coordinate.” He dropped a few chips into the uncooked side before giving it a flip.</p><p>“Yes, he’s three, and as such it is your responsibility to teach him these things,” the elegant woman said, squatting down in front of her child to look him over properly. She bit her lip, anxiety rising as she resisted the urge to take him straight upstairs to change. Instead she stood again and tried to push the thought from her mind. </p><p>“Well, consider me informed,” Draco said with a chuckle. </p><p>Astoria joined Draco in front of the stove. “Nimsy, get me what I need to make eggs and sausage.” Draco looked over at his wife with a curiously raised brow. </p><p>“What are you doing?” he asked her, trying not to laugh. He didn’t think in the nearly five years they’d been together he’d ever seen her make so much as toast.</p><p>“I’m making breakfast,” she replied in the same manner Draco had used a moment ago. “Surely if you can make chocolate chip pancakes I can fry a few eggs.” She didn’t sound entirely confident, but she was determined, and Draco knew well enough that that was all it’d take for her to accomplish her goal.</p><p>Nimsy carried a tray to her master holding half a dozen eggs, butter, and several links of sausage. Astoria placed it on the counter and, after sensing her hesitation, Draco lit a burner for her. Unlike Astoria, who had customarily resided with her parents until the time that they wed, Draco had embraced bachelorhood throughout his early twenties, and learned to manage on his own. He’d taught himself enough at least to keep himself fed.</p><p>Draco poured the last of the pancake batter into the pan, and watched as Astoria tried to solve the puzzle of frying an egg. “I’d put the butter in the pan first, so the egg doesn’t stick,” Draco assisted, to which he received a sharp look.</p><p>“I know,” Astoria snapped, having clearly not known. She scooped some butter into the pan, which sizzled and began to melt. Draco watched in obvious amusement as she picked up an egg and attempted to crack it over the side of the skillet. Her first couple of taps were too gentle, the third smashed the egg so effectively that half of the contents spilled out of the skillet instead of in, straight into the flames underneath. Draco tried his hardest not to laugh. He failed. “Oh well you show me how it's done, then, if you’re so good at it,” she bit at him for his continued laughter. </p><p>Draco plated the final pancake and turned off the burner, before moving to help Mrs. Malfoy with her eggs. He vanished the spilled egg and moved to stand behind her, he reached for a new egg, and took her hand, putting the egg into it. He guided her hand over the lip of the skillet and with one swift tap of her hand, the shell broke halfway. “You’ve gotta hit it hard enough to break the shell in one clean tap, but just enough to let you open it yourself, control it.” Draco guided her other hand to break the egg open completely over the center of the hot pan, where it began to cook instantly. </p><p>They discarded the eggshell into the sink for now, and Astoria let out an irritated huff. “I could have done that,” she said stubbornly.</p><p>“Clearly,” Draco agreed, and put his hands on her waist. He knew she couldn’t stand it when he showed her this kind of affection, but he often couldn’t help himself. He'd chosen to marry her for a reason, he'd loved her, and couldn't imagine settling down with anyone else. He kissed her shoulder, and then her neck. </p><p>“Draco, honestly,” she grumbled, reaching for another egg to crack herself with much greater success.</p><p>“What? It’s good for the boy to see his parents like this,” the father explained. “My parents never showed affection and it took years for me to realize that it’s actually appropriate for couples to do so.”</p><p>Astoria smiled despite her stubborn opposition. She didn’t hate it, technically speaking, she just didn’t like to lead him on. “Is that what you’re doing, then? Demonstrating a healthy relationship?” The irony was felt heavily by both adults, their son sitting at the table none the wiser.</p><p>Draco let one of his hands slide down her front, moving between her legs, pressing the silky material of her nighty into her forbidden lips. She jumped at the inappropriate gesture. “Draco!” she scolded. “Do not start with me now, and especially not in front of the boy!”</p><p>Draco, who expected exactly this reaction, rubbed her just hard enough to feel her jerk in response to his fingers against her clit, before releasing her. “What? It’s not like he can see,” he whispered into her ear, before stepping away. “Scorpius, what is it Daddy always tells you to remember?”</p><p>Scorpius grinned at his father as he approached, a plate containing a single chocolate chip pancake in hand. “Daddy loves Mommy, Mommy loves Daddy, and Mommy and Daddy both love me,” Scorpius recited with a big smile as Draco cut the pancake into pieces, before passing it over.</p><p>Astoria turned to look at her little family sitting at the kitchen table. Scorpius took all of three seconds to get chocolate all over his pale face, and Draco was like a child when he was with his son. As frustrated as she sometimes felt, being married to a man she could only love to a platonic extent, she was glad that she’d chosen Draco. He was a good father, determined to be better than his own. He was a good husband, a provider, and always respected her boundaries (when he wasn’t pushing them). She’d trusted him with her greatest secret and it could have backfired, but it didn’t. Their life worked because they were a team. </p><p>Some days she wished she could give him more of herself, wished she could love him the way he’d recently confided he loved her. But to do so would be a sacrifice she couldn’t afford to make. Besides, he seemed different lately. The longing with which he used to look at her didn’t feel so intense. He was moving on, it seemed. She wished she knew who to give the credit to, but to ask would be against the rules. </p><p>She smelled something burning, and turned to see that her eggs were overcooked, becoming more inedible by the second. “Oh fuck it all!” she exclaimed, pulling the skillet away from the flame.</p><p>“Mommy, language!”</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. The Christmas Gift</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's Christmas Eve, and Draco has a special surprise in store for his secret lover.</p><p>Chapter tags: sex, anal sex, sex toy, multiple penetration (including toy)</p>
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</div>Having their own special place to escape to certainly seemed like a good idea, however it made it extra hard to resist taking an uncharacteristic lunch break every day to meet up for an afternoon delight, at which she failed twice that week, both on Monday and Wednesday. Friday was Christmas Eve, and she would be working her usual long hours. Or at least, she thought she would. Little did she know, Mister Malfoy had other plans for the evening. <p>He found her in her office. It was going on four o'clock, and most Ministry employees had cut the day short to return home to their families. His lioness, however, was still devoutly proofing the latest draft of a regulation she hoped to bring before the Minister. He watched from the doorway, waiting for her to notice him.</p><p>She was as stunning as ever, her hair twisted up and locked into place with a ballpoint pen. A few loose locks hung in her face, and he watched her tuck some behind her ear, which fell forward again a moment later as she leaned over her parchment. She wore a dress today, rather than her usual skirt suit. It was a bright Christmas red, form fitting to her knees, with a small slit in the back and a thin shiny black belt around her middle. Of course, none of that could be seen from where she sat now, but he'd not failed to catch sight of her earlier in the day.</p><p>He could hear rather than see one of the red and black pumps that adorned her feet tapping against the floor, matching the rhythm of the quill she fiddled with between her fingers. She licked her upper lip as the words she must have been searching for found her, and she began to scribble them down excitedly. She read them over again quickly, before starting again at the beginning, needing to be as thorough as ever to ensure it all flowed, and nothing had been left out. Finally, she grinned, satisfied with a job well done, and when she looked up to see the time, she jumped.</p><p>"Dammit, Malfoy, you scared me!" Hermione chastised, holding onto her chest with one hand. "What are you doing there?" She tried to look away from him, but it was the first time she'd seen him since Wednesday, and Merlin, he looked dashing. He wore a dark blue suit, a black shirt, and a silver tie and matching pocket square. It was unfair, she thought, that he could still look so fair and perfect when she had to try so hard not to put on a single kilo. </p><p>"You realize it's Christmas, don't you?" Draco asked with a smirk, stepping into the office now that he'd been addressed. "Everyone else is gone for the weekend. I was hoping you'd be ready to call it for the day as well." He closed the door behind him, and locked it for good measure, even though he was pretty sure they were the only two left on their floor.</p><p>Hermione finally remembered to check the clock. Four. That was awfully early for the office to be empty. But as he'd said it was, more or less, Christmas. Who could blame them? "I suppose there's nothing here that can't wait until Monday," she agreed. “What did you have in mind?” She stood and moved around to the front of her desk, leaning back against it. She watched as she watched him close the distance between them. He wasn’t supposed to, he knew that, but they were alone, and she didn’t think she could will herself to stop him if he tried anything. Thank Merlin the Ministry didn’t use security cameras like a muggle employer might.</p><p>Draco’s hands landed on the widest part of Hermione’s hips, which he gave a playful squeeze. “Well, I figure you’ve got a few hours before anyone expects you home, right?”</p><p>Hermione bit her lip. “A couple,” she confirmed. “We’re supposed to go to a party tonight…” She’d been neglecting her social obligations lately, and she knew he was largely responsible for that. </p><p>Draco nodded, and pulled her to him, one hand abandoning her hip in favor of cupping her face. He caressed her cheek with his thumb and leaned in, lips threatening hers. She leaned up on her toes instinctively to meet him, but didn’t close the distance. Draco chuckled, pleased by her resistance. She’d caught on quickly to let him take the lead. “Well then we’d better quit wasting time here,” he whispered, before stepping away from her.</p><p>Hermione let out an audible whimper as he unlocked the door and began to walk away. “I’ll be right there,” she promised, breathless from the broken promise of a kiss. She snapped out of it a moment later, and gathered her things to leave.</p><p>She didn’t know how he’d made it out of the building so much sooner than her, but by the time she made it to the lobby he was nowhere to be found. She apparated to the flat as soon as she was free to do so, landing in the entryway. She quickly hung up her bag and coat, and headed towards the bedroom in search of her lover. Hermione stood in the doorway, looking around the room, but she still couldn’t find him. When his arms wrapped around her middle from behind she nearly jumped out of her skin, and gave out a squeal of surprise. She turned in his arms, and this time didn’t wait for permission. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. This was their place, and she didn’t have to hold back here.</p><p>Draco groaned into Hermione’s mouth, and nipped playfully at her lower lip, before moving his attention to her neck, where he sucked nibbled as well. “I love this dress on you,” he told her, and moved to the other side of her throat. “Now take it off.”</p><p>The finality of his tone made her walls clench down in anticipation, and she fumbled with the little gold buckle on her belt, which fell open but remained held in place on the dress through small loops. She tugged at it so hard that she felt the thread that contained it break, and the belt at last fell away. Their lips met again as she reached behind her back in search of her zipper, but it was difficult to locate, and when she whimpered again, Draco turned her around. </p><p>Draco moved her hair over one shoulder, and moved the thin gold zipper down until it reached the very top of her rear, revealing the lacy v-string that hid underneath. He pushed the half-sleeves down her arms until the dress finally fell to the floor around her feet, and she stepped out of it as she turned back to face him, revealing a matching bralette. </p><p>Every time she undressed for him, she held her breath, waiting to see what he thought of her. She couldn’t help comparing herself to the kind of girls he was frequently seen with prior to his marriage to Astoria, who was easily the most thin and petite of them all, even now after becoming a mother. She constantly wondered what he saw in her, why he chose her, how it was possible for him to look at her with such lust that it made her weak in the knees.</p><p>Merlin, she was gorgeous. Her full breasts, her curvaceous middle, her natural skin and minimal makeup. She was his very own aphrodite, and what endeared her to him most was that she was completely blind to it. She had no appreciation for how beautiful she was. A small growl rolled up from deep inside of him. They were wasting time. He grabbed her, picking her up and carrying her to the bed. He sat her on the edge and pulled the expensive looking thong down her waist and discarded it, before moving his face between her legs. She was his new favorite flavor, and he delved deep into her generous opening, holding her thighs open with his hands, thumbs spreading her lips. </p><p>Hermione gasped and moaned, a hand moving into his silk hair and holding on tight while his tongue swirled around inside of her. He sucked on her most sensitive bundle of nerves, and she twitched and whined. “Oh gods, Draco,” she moaned, watching him as he worshiped her in the most selfless way possible. </p><p>Draco continued until her moans increased in speed, and he recognized the impending orgasm. He flicked her clit with the tip of his tongue and sucked it alternatingly, and when he thought she was finally going to explode for him, he bit down and sucked hard. “Fuck!” she shouted. He could feel her essence flowing out onto his chin, and made quick work of cleaning it up.</p><p>“Get on your knees and show me that ass,” Draco ordered when at last he stood again, and began to quickly rid himself of his suit.</p><p>Hermione obeyed without hesitation, turning over so that her heeled feet dangled over the edge of the mattress. The waiting always drove her mad. She never knew what he had planned for her, but it did seem he always had a plan.</p><p>Draco stripped down to nothing, and went over to the dresser, retrieving a couple of objects he’d recently purchased for them. “I have a surprise for you,” Draco informed her. “A Christmas present, if you will.”</p><p>“Draco,” Hermione scolded. “We agreed, no gifts.” She hadn’t gotten him anything, not unless the new lingerie she wore tonight counted as a gift. It had been purchased for his viewing pleasure, so perhaps it was a gift after all.</p><p>“Don’t fret, love.” His voice was suddenly much closer again, and Hermione jumped when she felt something warm and wet fall between her cheeks. It dripped down her crack, and he began to rub it into her back opening with a cold, smooth object she couldn’t picture. “This gift will live here.”</p><p>It was a toy, she realized. He’d bought her a sex toy! The idea made her blush furiously. She’d never owned a sex toy before. She’d never been single to need one, not since she’d become interested in sex that is, and Ron certainly wouldn’t want to compete with an inanimate object. She could feel it prodding at her newly lubricated arse, and it was a rather pleasant sensation. If she had to guess, she’d venture it was likely made of glass. It was moving slowly in and out of her, and the deeper he inserted it, the more relaxed she became.</p><p>“That feels good,” Hermione affirmed, moaning softly in match to his rhythm. She did find it surprising, however, that he would choose to pleasure her with something other than himself. He was a generous lover, but not that generous. She wanted to feel him, the real him, and had been about to voice this desire when she felt him, only he wasn’t replacing the glass object as she’d expected.</p><p>Draco held the candy-cane designed dildo in one hand by the hooked end, stroking himself with the other. The object slid in and out of her with ease, and watching her rosebud swallow and reject the item over and over was mesmerizing. He was aching within his own grasp before long, and he needed to feel her. He pushed into her, letting her dripping cunt envelop him up just as easily. </p><p>“Oh!” Hermione gasped in shock at being penetrated in more than one way. “Oh Merlin, Draco!” She lowered her front to the bed, settling in for what was sure to be one of their most intense experiences yet. “Oh yes!” She’d never felt so full, and it made her toes curl. </p><p>Draco was very aware that they were on borrowed time, and he couldn’t afford to take his time. He wound himself into a harsh pace, holding onto her waist with one hand while he moved the glass tool inside of her in alternation to his own movements. She felt amazing wrapped around him so tightly, clamping down on him as she was thrown over the edge of pleasure anew. It’d only been two days since the last time this bed had been used, but the novelty never seemed to wear off. He slammed into her harder, and her shoes fell off one at a time from how hard he rocked her body.</p><p>Hermione reached a point of no return, where the pleasure coursing through her didn’t seem to have any end. He moved so hard, so fast within her that there was no chance for recovery. She was drowning in it, and she fell into the mattress, body exhausted but willing to endure as much as he could give her, and it felt as though he’d been going for ages. “Oh god, Draco!” Hermione begged for mercy.</p><p>Draco could tell that Hermione was getting tired. His legs were beginning to burn as well. He pumped the toy inside of her more harshly still, before gradually slowing and removing it. He placed the glass phallus on the bed beside her, and carefully replaced it with his own hardness, shuddering as the tightness consumed him. He added a bit more lubricant, before returning to his previously vigorous stride.</p><p>Hermione cried out again, finding great release in being able to vocalize her pleasure. Her fingers gripped the blanket beneath her tightly, and her back arched. “Don’t stop, don’t stop!” she whimpered, feeling herself approaching yet another climax. “I’m cumming!” she promised him.</p><p>Now having both of his hands available to him, he drew her waist to him to double his thrusting power. After a moment he stretched one hand up her back and fisted a handful of her hair, tangling the locks between his fingers and pulling. “That’s it, Lioness.  Fuck, I’m close!” he warned her. Holding her hair tightly, he used his other hand to slap her full ass hard, the sound echoing through the room, accompanied immediately by Hermione’s cry of surprise. He slapped it again, and again, before finally releasing her hair, grasping her waist once more. “Ugh, that’s it…” he grunted, drawing her body towards his as he buried his seed deep within the cavern of her ass.</p><p>By the time they had each fixed themselves and redressed, Hermione was surprised to find it was still before five, if only just. She spritzed a bit of body splash over herself, nothing too strong, but just enough to cover any smell of sweat that might cling to her skin. She let Draco walk her to the door, where her coat and bag hung. She turned regretfully to him as she slipped into the outerwear.</p><p>“Enjoy your party,” Draco told her with a smirk. He and Astoria had plans as well, as they did every Christmas Eve.</p><p>Hermione couldn’t help thinking she heard a bit of sarcasm in his voice. “I will,” she agreed. “You too.” She hung her purse over her shoulder, and hesitated. “Happy Christmas, Mister Malfoy,” she said to him softly.</p><p>Draco pulled her to him, gazing down at her intensely. “Happy Christmas, my Lioness.” His parting kiss was smoldering, a reminder that he alone could make her knees give way under such a simple gesture. </p><p>And then she was gone, arriving home early to surprise her spouse in getting the children fed and ready for the evening ahead of them. A moment later Draco was with his wife, helping her into the gown that perfectly coordinated with the tailored dress robes that had been picked out for him a month in advance.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Happy Christmas Hermione! This chapter is pure smut, gotta love it! Please let me know if you did, or did not, or what you would LOVE to see them try next time!</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. The Midnight Kiss</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Weasleys and Malfoys all attend the same New Year's party, and it may just be enough to bring their affair to a screeching halt.</p>
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</div>Christmas at home with her family had been magical. Christmas morning Hermione and Ron packed up the kids as soon as they’d finished their breakfast and headed straight to the Burrow, where the entirety of the Weasley clan had gathered. The Weasley family may have lost their standing as one of the “sacred twenty-eight” pureblood families, thanks to Ron’s union to Hermione, but they’d set a new record for being the largest living magical family in all of Europe. Within just three generations there were twenty-seven of them who gathered for holidays such as this, and in addition to them, Hermione’s parents, and Teddy Lupin with his grandmother Andromeda Tonks.<p>The twelve Weasley grandchildren (three of which carried the name Potter), and young Teddy, who was home from Hogwarts second year at Hogwarts, opened the mountain of presents, leaving ribbons and bows and wrapping paper strewn everywhere. Hermione diligently summoned all the paper to her, to be crumpled up and disposed of, while the kids began to remove their new toys from their packaging to be played with. </p><p>For one day Hermione put her affair out of her mind, and focused all of her attention on her large loving family. The thirty plus of them had a casual afternoon filled with snacks and pastries, keeping everyone satisfied leading up to the feast of a dinner that Molly, Mrs Granger, and Percy’s wife Audrey were diligently preparing. Over the years the house had been expanded upon to make room for the ever expanding family, nearly doubling the area of the ground floor. When at last the meal was ready, the party gathered in the large tent that was erected in the garden. It was the only way, given the amount of people, but it was a ritual they had mastered over the years.</p><p>While the children played out in the snow, the wives enjoyed wine (pregnant wives excluded) and gossip, which largely consisted of each of them bragging about their children’s accomplishments. The men were outside enjoying a moonlit game of quidditch over the field, which drove Molly crazy, convinced one of them would get hurt. </p><p>The day had been perfect, and she came home feeling happy and fulfilled, just like she used to when they first got married. As she laid down in her bed that night, stripped down to just her silky knickers and camisole set, she couldn’t remember why she had been so unhappy. Ron came out of the bathroom after his shower, naked and toweling off his hair, and Hermione watched him curiously. He was very handsome. He was in the best shape of his life, thirty years old, with strong arms, lean abs, and thank Merlin he wasn’t one of those hairy men. He looked up to see her staring at him, and smirked, tossing the towel aside and moving onto the bed. </p><p>“What are you staring at?” he asked, grinning, as he climbed over her and kissed her briefly.</p><p>“You,” Hermione answered with a smile, and kissed him a second time. He moved beneath the covers, still on top of her.</p><p>“Oh yeah? You want some of this?” Ronald asked saucily, pulling away her knickers. Hermione giggled as she made room for him between her legs.</p><p>“Maybe…” she teased. </p><p>The two of them made love that night, and it was the most passion she’d felt between them in years. The next day he had to work, and she was home with the kids and her thoughts. What was she doing? She loved Ron. Of course she loved Ron. How could she have forgotten? How could she have let herself go so astray? She was being selfish! Was some wild, adventurous sex with an incredibly attractive man really worth risking the life and family she’d worked so hard for?</p><p>When she had managed to get both children down for a nap, she planted herself onto the couch and sobbed. The guilt had hit her at full force. And what was worse than knowing that she was risking losing her entire family, risking destroying a man who’d always loved her, was knowing that she wasn’t ready for it to be over. Being with Draco had given her something to feel excited about. Having a secret made her feel like she wasn’t a machine, like she didn’t exist solely to take care of her children, and her husband, and to serve her community. Being with Draco made her feel like she was a person, a woman, someone desirable, and worthy of happiness of her own. Two months wasn’t enough. It hadn’t even been a full two months! Could she really surrender the first instance of self-indulgence she’d allowed herself in her adult life? But Merlin, the guilt, it was finally getting to her. </p><p>She cried herself to sleep on the couch, not waking until she heard Hugo scream in annoyance. He must have gotten tired of waiting for her to realize he’d finished his nap. She splashed her face with some cold water, washing away the dried salt from her tears, before going to get him up to eat lunch. She discovered Rose was already out of bed and quietly playing in her room, and brought her out as well. She let Rose help her by bringing her the ingredients for her to make them some macaroni and cheese, with peas and carrots mixed in (it was the easiest way to get them to eat their vegetables). </p><p>She wasn’t going to let herself think about her and Draco any more today. She would have to see him the next day at the interdepartmental meeting, and that was going to inspire plenty of thoughts then. For now she needed to commit her attention to her family.</p><p>When Monday came, Hermione was determined not to pay him any extra attention. She needed some time to think about things, and in the meantime she wouldn’t fall back into his arms. It was all too easy to let him distract her. He kept trying to keep her attention during the meeting, but she wouldn’t let him get a rise out of her. She kept her eyes on the agenda notes in her hands, reading over the reports as he spoke of them, anything to avoid eye contact.</p><p>It wasn’t until Wednesday when she received a summon to meet at the condo for lunch that she was forced to actually reject him, writing back that she was simply too busy. All week she pushed back against his invitations, each time feeling worse, and growing frustrated for denying her own need to be with him, to be held by him, kissed by him, fucked by him. Merlin did she miss being fucked by him.</p><p>The following weekend rolled around, and the holiday spirit was in the air anew. It was new year’s eve, and Molly was hosting a sleepover for many of the kids so that Harry and Ginny, Ron and Hermione, and Percy and Audrey could all attend the Ministry of Magic’s annual New Year’s Benefit Ball. It was a significantly more formal event than the one they’d attended the week prior. All ministry employees and their spouses were invited.</p><p>Hermione had purchased a floor-length gown, gradient from silver on top to black at the bottom, every inch of it sparkled and shimmered in the light as she moved. It was a trumpet shaped dress with an off-shoulder neckline, and it fit Hermione like a glove, emphasizing her bust and her hips, features she had resented until Draco had made her feel attractive again. She slipped her feet into a pair of silver glittery heels and examined herself in the mirror. Her hair was straightened and twisted into a complicated up-do that’d taken her longer than she wanted to admit to pull off. She wore a deep smoky eye and a bright red lipstick. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt this confident in her looks. </p><p>“Wow…” </p><p>Hermione turned to see Ron staring at her, having just returned from dropping the kids off with his mother. She smiled. “You don’t think it’s too much, do you?” She hoped not, because she loved the way she looked tonight.</p><p>“N-no. Not at all. You look phenomenal.” Ron was already in his dress robes, the one formal tuxedo he owned that he wore to just about everything, their wedding included. Hermione sometimes resented how easy it was for men. They weren’t expected to wear something brand new every time they were seen at a party.</p><p>Hermione blushed. It wasn’t often her husband looked at her that way. It reminded her of the way Draco looked at her every time he saw her, like he wanted to lock her away and destroy every part of her until she cried for mercy. It’d been a week since she let Draco touch her, and her body ached for his roughness, something she’d continue to refuse herself until she made up her mind.</p><p>“We’d better get going,” Hermione told him, changing the subject rather than respond to his compliment. “Don’t want to miss the dinner.”</p><p>Draco couldn’t take his eyes off of her, and Astoria couldn’t help but notice. Hermione Granger-Weasley. She never would have guessed. When she found out that Draco had rented a condo in London she’d assumed that Draco was putting up some young slut. They’d argued about it, and she’d made it perfectly clear that she would not stand for him acting as a sugar-daddy to one of his little whores. She hadn’t believed him when he denied it, but now she understood. Draco wasn’t with some young bird, he was with a married woman, and he needed a place to bring her when he wanted her. </p><p>It bothered her to no end. There was no rule in their relationship stating that they couldn’t take lovers who were already married. She never thought it was necessary, or that he would stoop so low. What was he thinking? What was she thinking? She had two children. She was married to an Auror. Well, former Auror. She was on the fast-track to being the youngest female Minister of Magic ever! There was no way that she was going to throw that all away for Draco, and when she came to her senses and ended it Draco was going to get hurt. She knew, because she’d been the first one to let him fall in love with her and then step on his heart. </p><p>She couldn’t let Granger do the same.</p><p>He was falling in love with her, of that Astoria had no doubt. She could see it in the way he watched her dancing with her husband across the dance floor. While Hermione’s arms were wrapped loosely behind her husband’s neck, his hands on her waist as they swayed together, she laughed joyfully at a joke he whispered into her ear, and slapped his chest playfully. She looked happy, and Draco looked as jealous as she’d ever seen him.</p><p>The fact that Draco and his wife would be in attendance had crossed Hermione’s mind as she prepared for the night, but she’d been determined not to let that get in the way of her evening. What she didn’t expect was for Draco’s stunning, stick-thin, golden blonde haired goddess of a wife to come walking straight towards her as she waited for her drink at the bar. Panic filled her as she realized that this was no coincidence, and she was definitely coming to talk to her. Merlin, she knew.</p><p>“That is an amazing dress,” Astoria said brightly as she approached. She turned briefly to the bartender and placed her order, before turning her attention back to the stunned brunette.</p><p>“Oh, thank you. But everyone knows you’re always best dressed.” She was wearing a gold spaghetti strap silk dress which draped down between her breasts and flowed over her flat stomach to the floor. Hermione would never be able to pull off something like that. It would show off every ounce of fat, of which Astoria seemingly had none, every dimple of cellulite, every insecurity on display.</p><p>Astoria turned to face Hermione fully, looking her up and down. “I can think of one person who would say otherwise.” The look of guilt on Hermione’s face was recognition enough. “I know about you and my husband. And hey,” she held her hands up, nails painted the same shade of gold as the dress. “It’s well within the rules. He’s fair play.” She dropped her hands. “But you, on the other hand…” She shook her head shamingly.</p><p>“I-” Hermione had no idea what to say to that. She couldn’t very well deny it. “I never meant for it to happen.”</p><p>“A little advice, mother to mother, wife to wife… Think long and hard about whatever it is you and Draco are doing in that little apartment he rented for the two of you. Is it really worth losing everything over?”</p><p>Hermione felt tears brimming at her eyes, but she held them open stubbornly, not wanting to give this hypocritical witch the satisfaction. “I’m not going to let that happen,” Hermione insisted.</p><p>Astoria received her drink. “Exactly. And I’m not going to let Draco get hurt. So if you’re just going to cut him loose when you meet your career goals, do me a favor and just do it now.”</p><p>As Hermione watched her walk away, she realized that letting Draco go might be necessary. She scanned the room with her eyes and saw him, chatting with a few colleagues while sipping a glass of whiskey. He caught her eye, giving her a smirk that nearly made her knickers wet, before resuming his conversation. Hermione smiled quickly in response, and sighed, finally picking up her drink from the bartop. </p><p>Needing some fresh air, Hermione headed up to the rooftop of the venue. It was snowing, but the bitter cold air on her skin made her feel alert, which was just what she needed to do the kind of thinking she needed to do. She wrapped her arms around herself.</p><p>Astoria was worried that she was going to hurt Draco. That thought had never even occurred to her. Sure, there were a couple of things he’d said recently that had her thinking that, maybe, he was developing some sort of feelings for her, beyond just the sexual, but she’d guessed he was just getting possessive. She’d made it clear several times in the last two months that she had no interest in leaving her husband. That her family would always come first. Maybe Astoria was right. Maybe she did need to let him go before she inevitably broke his heart.</p><p>She laughed into the open air, her breath a visible cloud as it floated out into the night sky. Break his heart? It just seemed absurd. Draco Malfoy was not now nor would he ever be in love with her. He just enjoyed… dominating her, in every delicious way possible. He spanked her and choked her and bit her and fucked her into oblivion every chance he got. That had nothing to do with love! It was lust in its truest and dirtiest form. </p><p>“What’s so funny?”</p><p>His voice made her jump, and she spun to see him standing there, looking perfect as usual. She noticed now that his bowtie and pocket square were gold silk, just like his wife’s dress. They really were a picture perfect couple. She wondered if anyone else knew what she knew. </p><p>“I was just… Thinking about us,” she answered truthfully, unable to come up with a lie in a reasonable amount of time.</p><p>Draco walked towards her, removing his jacket as he did so. “Merlin, you must be freezing.” He draped it over her shoulders, and she looked up at him in awe. How did he manage to find her up here, just as she was thinking about him? </p><p>“I’m fine,” Hermione said, but pulled her arms into the sleeves of his jacket all the same, grateful for the coverage. </p><p>“So what about us is so funny?” Draco asked her, rubbing her arms to help warm her up faster.</p><p>Hermione chuckled, looking down at her shoes for a moment. “All of it, really,” she answered, looking back up at him again. “I mean really, Draco, what are we doing? How long do we really think this is going to last?” She appreciated everything he was doing to help her, clearly she’d been in need of a new kind of release, but it couldn’t last forever. They had to have known that, realistically.</p><p>Draco chuckled. “Where is this coming from? Is this why you’ve been avoiding me all week?” Hermione was finding it hard to look at him, and Draco sought out her eyes, finally capturing her chin between his fingers and forcing her to give him her attention. </p><p>"I don't want anyone to get hurt," Hermione replied sheepishly. </p><p>“Are you planning on hurting me, Hermione?”</p><p>She hadn’t been in this close proximity with him in exactly a week, since he’d introduced her to his new toy, and treated her to a level of pleasure she’d never previously achieved. She hadn’t been able to face him since, especially not after the level of guilt she experienced that weekend thereafter. “No,” she told him. “I just… Astoria knows about me and now-”</p><p>“Astoria? My wife talked to you?” That was a line crossed, in his opinion. They’d never interfered in each other’s side relationships before. Then again, to his knowledge, neither of them had ever been exclusively involved with anyone else before. </p><p>“She said she was okay with us, but she didn’t sound okay with it. I think she was trying to shame me. And she’s not wrong to do so.” Hermione frowned, and so did Draco. He placed his hands on Hermione’s waist, pulling her closer to him. </p><p>Draco could see that she was conflicted again, wondering if what he provided her was worth the possible sacrifice of her marriage or career, if anyone was to learn about their activities outside of the workplace. About the rental where they committed their dirty deeds. About the way he treated her body to such beautiful torture that it made her sob while she orgasmed. “You deserve to have happiness,” Draco reminded her. “And I’m proud to be the one to help you find it.”</p><p>“And I’m so grateful.” She reached one hand up to touch his cheek softly. He leaned into her palm.</p><p>They could hear the party beneath them, counting down to midnight. It was almost time. Twelve, eleven, ten… “Do you want to end this? Here and now, tonight? New year, fresh start?” </p><p>Four, three, two… Hermione trembled, looking up at him. She lost herself in his mercury eyes while hers burned with the threat of tears. “I have to,” she gasped, surprised by her own answer. </p><p>They kissed each other to cheers, noisemakers, and horns sounding all throughout London. It was a desperate exchange, a demonstration of feelings they’d never gotten the chance to acknowledge, the end of something before it’d really begun. It’d been two of the best months of her life, and when she wrenched herself away from him she couldn’t bear to look at him. She ran for the stairs, dropping his jacket somewhere on the stairs as she fled.</p>
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          <p>Muahahahaha...</p><p>Don't worry my friends, this story is FAR from order!</p><p>As always please leave me a comment and let me know what you want to see happen later, what you thought of this chapter, and what you THINK is to come!</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. The Joke Shop</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hermione pays a visit to Ron at the joke shop while he's doing inventory after hours, to surprise him for a belated Valentine's Day treat. The surprise that was meant for him turned out to be a surprise for her instead...</p>
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</div>As they entered into 2011, Hermione felt good about her decision to end her affair with Draco Malfoy. He respected her decision, mostly, though he did write her to let her know that if she changed her mind, she knew where to find him. Over the next several weeks Hermione recommitted herself to being the best wife she knew how to be. She stopped working such long hours, she tried to make more time to spend with Ron and the kids, and though it wasn’t nearly as satisfying, she did her best to make sure Ron’s needs were met in the bedroom, though he wasn’t as needy as she realized she’d become. Things were going very well, and she considered that maybe the whole point of her straying was to help remind her how important her life was, just the way it was.<p>January turned into February, and while they were unable to celebrate a proper valentine’s day, Hermione thought it would be nice to surprise Ron at work. It was the third Saturday of the month, which for the Diagon Alley location of Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes meant inventory night. After closing the store at nine o’clock, Ron would have to spend a couple extra hours taking inventory of the shop, which often kept him busy well into the night. </p><p>She slipped into a tight red dress, with a long gold zipper up the front that zipped in both directions for very easy access. Underneath she had squeezed into a pastel pink teddy which she’d originally acquired for Draco, but that he’d never seen. Her nude nylons had the faintest sparkle, going up to her thighs where they connected to the garment under her dress. She wore  metallic gold pumps to match the bold zipper. Having recently cut her hair to shoulder length, wore it straight, a much easier task without all the length, framing close around her face, and charmed her makeup into place. </p><p>Once she had herself ready, she prepared a basket full of delicious, and slightly naughty, refreshments. A bottle of champagne, fresh organic strawberries, chocolate sauce, and homemade whipped cream. It was their belated valentine’s day, after all. She wanted to make it fun, and special, and sexy. She’d never done anything like this with him before, fooling around at his work, or any other public place for that matter. She hoped the surprise would please him, and she couldn’t imagine George would disapprove if he knew. It’d been his idea to install the new “adult” section of the store, containing all varieties of sexually themed gizmos and gadgets. One had to cross an age-line to access it, an irony Hermione had been happy to point out to the wizard.</p><p>Fleur came over to the house to keep an eye on the kids, who were sleeping. She was a firm believer in all things romantic, and when she arrived Hermione was free to leave. She made it to the shop closer to ten, when she knew that the rest of the staff would be gone for the day, and they’d be alone. She let herself in, unsurprised to find the store still lit despite the closed sign. It was inventory night, after all. </p><p>She slipped through the store as quietly as she could, not wanting her heels to make too much noise against the wooden floors. She set her coat and the basket down on the check-out counter and looked behind every shelf, unsure of where in the shop she’d find him. When she did, he was in the adult section. He had his back to her, his clipboard in hand, but it was dropped to his side, and his other hand was in front of him. He was probably examining an item from the shelf. Maybe he’d found something interesting he wanted to surprise her with. Well, the surprise was on him.</p><p>“What have you got there?” she asked him in a playful tone, alerting him to her presence. </p><p>The clipboard fell out of his hand, and a squeak of surprise emitted from in front of him. The next few seconds passed in slow motion as Hermione’s brain tried to make sense of it. A small feminine hand touched the ground near Ron’s foot. There was a shuffling of fabric, and she heard his zipper ascend. The small hand pushed at the floor as its owner rose to her feet between Ron and the display shelf. Ron swore and turned around, hiding, no, shielding the young woman behind him.</p><p>“Hermione, what are you doing here?” her husband asked, as though he wasn’t hiding a young employee behind his back. As though he was actually pleased to see her. Hermione cursed herself for leaving her wand in her coat. She hadn’t imagined she’d want to use it, but right now she very much wanted to curse him and the bint he was protecting. </p><p>“Oh,” was all Hermione could think to say, too surprised, in too much disbelief, to come up with a proper reply. “Oh Merlin.” She shook her head as she took a couple steps away from him.</p><p>The girl, someone who’d been hired fresh out of Hogwarts about a year ago, poked her head around Ron’s shoulder to see what was happening. Her uniform was unbuttoned, revealing her small, perky chest covered in a neon yellow bra. Hermione flashed her a hateful look, and she quickly hid herself behind Ron again.</p><p>“Hermione…” Ron said soothingly. Hermione’s attention snapped back to him angrily.</p><p>“Miss Dalton, I think you need to leave,” Hermione warned in an icy voice. “Now…” Her voice shook slightly with rage. “This is between me and my husband.”</p><p>She made quick work of fixing her uniform, and then, in an audacious display, she leaned around Ron and kissed his cheek, her eyes flicking over to Hermione tauntingly. This practical child was actually marking her territory on her husband? Hermione nearly gagged, but instead glared until the girl was out of the store. The moment she was gone Hermione turned on her spouse, whose erection had quickly died. The silence between them was deafening, Hermione’s mind was racing.</p><p>She’d left Draco. She’d promised him that she would never leave her husband, and instead she’d broken up with him, out of guilt! She felt so stupid! How could she be falling for the same things she was doing to him? The same lies? The same excuses? And then it hit her, this was almost a blessing in disguise. She was more angry, she realized, than she was hurt, but now that she knew that Ron was getting his rocks off down the throats of teenage girls, and Merlin only knew how else, she had no reason not to resume her extramarital relationship with Draco Malfoy. </p><p>The silence was finally broken when Hermione was tired of waiting for him to make some sort of pointless excuse for himself. “You’ve been cheating. This whole time, coming here on weekends, taking extra shifts for George. You weren’t just being a good brother, you were taking advantage of him! You were taking advantage of me being too busy to notice!” </p><p>“You’re one to talk,” Ron muttered, and Hermione’s jaw dropped. </p><p>“What was that?” Hermione challenged. He knew? Bullshit. He couldn’t have. He was too confrontational to just let it slide if he knew about her and Malfoy. Then again, even if he did recognize her lies, there was no way he’d have known who, right?</p><p>Ron’s eyes narrowed towards her this time, having the nerve to return her anger. “I said, you’re one to talk. You think I haven’t noticed how much you’ve been working late? How you’ve come home with the wrong knickers on? How you’ve had bruises on certain parts of your body that I know I couldn’t have left?”</p><p>Hermione laughed. Secretly, she was impressed. She’d never in a million years have guessed that he would have ever noticed those things. She’d underestimated him. That didn’t mean he was getting a confession out of her, though. No way! She had the upper hand and she wasn’t prepared to give it up. “You honestly believe that I have time for an affair? While taking care of you, and our children, and, oh I don’t know, shaping the future for future witches and wizards all over the world?!”</p><p>“You’re trying to tell me you haven’t been shagging another wizard?” Ron asked incredulously. He was beginning to question his evidence. Had they been coincidences all along? Was he really just projecting his own infidelity onto her?</p><p>Hermione rolled her eyes. “Ron, we’ve had more sex in the last four months than we have in the last four years combined. Do you honestly think for one second that I’d have the energy to satisfy you and get some on the side, on top of everything else?” Truth was she didn’t. She’d run herself ragged trying to keep up with the needs of everyone in her life. The kids, Ron, Draco, work. She couldn’t do it all. But after today she could cross one of those off of her list. “You on the other hand…” She shook her head, and she could feel angry tears burning her eyes.</p><p>Seeing her become emotional, Ron softened, and took a step toward her. She stepped back, shaking her head quickly. He didn’t get to comfort her. “So, here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to keep doing… whatever disgusting things you’re doing with that poor naive child employee of yours-” Ron attempted to interrupt her but Hermione wasn’t having it. “I’m not finished!” Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “I don’t want to see evidence of her. I don’t want to smell evidence of her. You’re not to neglect a single one of your familial obligations over her, including any events I attend in which you’re expected to be by my side. And this applies to any and all other trollops you’ve somehow managed to trick onto their knees for you.”</p><p>Ron looked confused, and Hermione simply turned, heading toward the front of the store. She stopped and grabbed her coat and the basket of treats off the counter. She could hear Ron following her, but she ignored it.</p><p>“What, that’s it?” he asked as she made her way to the door. “You’re not… leaving me?”</p><p>Hermione turned to him with one last glare, one hand already on the door handle. “I’m not going to let you tear my family apart over sex, Ronald Weasley. If you no longer need me to fulfill your needs, then I no longer need you to fulfill mine.”</p><p>She exited the shop, slamming the door hard behind her. She was disappointed when it didn’t shatter in her wake. She disapparated, landing immediately within the flat Draco had rented for them. He’d told her that he would keep it, he’d signed a full year lease optimistically. It was the first place she thought of. She would no longer feel guilty. She refused. When she arrived, she realized she didn’t know how to reach him, to tell him that she was there, waiting for him, ready and willing. Why hadn’t he just bought a cell phone like she asked him to!?</p><p>Hermione hung up her coat and went to sit on the couch, and after a long moment of just staring ahead of her at nothing in particular she buried her face in her hands and began to cry. What now?</p><p>Draco sat on his own couch, in the sitting room at his house, reading in silence. Scorpius had long since been put to bed, and Astoria was upstairs treating herself to one of her beloved bubble baths. He’d picked up on a bit of a pattern of hers, a tell. She always took a bubble bath after she’d gotten lucky. She’d barely been gone an hour, he’d thought she was running an errand! She was getting bolder lately. She was rubbing it in his face, her ability to go out and get a fix whenever the mood struck. It was an endless stream of meaningless flings. The audacity, making a mockery of their marriage and their friendship alike. It hadn’t bothered him before, he realized, because he’d been doing the same thing, before Hermione.</p><p>Ever since she made the decision to confront Hermione about their affair Draco and Astoria had been as distant as they’d ever been. She’d crossed a line, and when he questioned her about it that night when they returned home from the party she couldn’t seem to come up with an explanation for her actions. She tried to blame the many glasses of champagne, but he’d quickly shot down that excuse. He’d told her she was lying. That she was jealous. That she couldn’t let anyone be responsible for his happiness if it wasn’t her. She’d admitted that she’d never expected him to fall for someone else. The hypocrisy had led to nearly two months of forced cordiality between them. The only reason they hadn’t transitioned into separate bedrooms was because they were both too stubborn to be the one to move.</p><p>He missed her, more than he liked to admit. Draco didn’t blame Hermione for ending it. She was doing what she had to do for her family, and her career. She had far too much to lose. It was inevitable, he’d just hoped he’d have more time with her before she realized it. He also hoped, perhaps foolishly, that she might change her mind. Maybe one day she’d miss him like he missed her. Maybe she would simply crave what only he seemed to do for her. He’d take whatever scraps of her he could get if it meant he got to be the one to make her cry out with her climax. If he’d have known that Christmas Eve would be the last time he’d ever get to touch her…</p><p>It was about quarter after ten when he felt it, a vibration in his wrist-watch. It was an alarm, one he’d charmed in order to alert him if Hermione were to ever reenter the rental flat. She was there, now, assuming that he’d performed the spell correctly. Draco could hardly believe it. He put the book down, forgetting to mark his page in his hurry, and ran up the stairs to change out of his lounge clothes. Maybe she was hoping he’d be there. She could find that he wasn’t and leave. He couldn’t take that risk.</p><p>He dressed in all black; shirt, pants, belt, socks, shoes, and forewent underwear altogether, just for fun. He left the top few buttons of his shirt open, and was examining himself briefly in the mirror when his wife emerged from the bathroom.</p><p>“Where are you going?” Astoria asked incredulously, taking in the wardrobe change.</p><p>“She came back,” Draco answered, a slight punch to his tone.</p><p>“What? Now?” But Draco didn’t answer, going instead right out the door and to the foyer, where he was able to disapparate. He just hoped she’d still be there when he arrived.</p><p>“Hermione?” </p><p>Draco’s voice carried down the long hallway leading to the sitting room. She almost thought she was imagining it. She stopped crying instantly, and instead began to wipe the tears away from her face, grateful for having charmed her makeup into place, though it did nothing for the red puffiness of her eyes. “Draco?” she choked out. She stood from the couch, straightening her dress. She could hear his expensive shoes on the tile floor. She sniffed deeply and wiped under her nose frantically. She had to look a mess.</p><p>He rounded the corner and found her standing between the couch and the coffee table. His first thought was that she looked positively stunning, his second was that she was obviously very upset about something, distraught even, and his third, most devastating thought, was that he was most likely not the reason she looked the way she did tonight. If he was, he couldn’t imagine why she’d be crying like she’d clearly been.</p><p>“What happen-” He didn’t get to finish the question. She had flung herself onto him, her hands cupping his face tightly and her lips crashing against his with desperation. </p><p>Draco kissed her back without hesitation, holding onto her tightly. When her lips broke away from his for much needed breath, her words shocked him more than her return. “Punish me.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So MANY of you were right, yes, I know! Ron was cheating too? You don't say! Yes of course he was! And if the last two words of the chapter weren't a hint, there is MUCH KINKINESS to look forward to next week!!! Writing of chapter 15 still in progress so if there's any kinky punishment you'd like to see included please let me know!</p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. The Punishment Part 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Upon the witch's request Draco sets to punish Hermione for their separation.</p><p>Rough oral, food play, whipping (belt)</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So I was thinking, as it was pointed out to me how EVIL I was to only post the first half of tis scene, that MAYBE I should post Part 2 sooner than next Monday?</p><p>If I get at least 15 comments asking me to post Part 2 asap, I promise I'll put it online as soon as it's finished! </p><p>Also, check out my fb author page for updates on ALL my writing. You can contact me, ask questions, make suggestions, maybe even requests? I'm very open to new work!</p><p>Find me at: /kblynnefanfiction/</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
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</div>“Punish me, Mister Malfoy,” Hermione repeated herself, diving right into her bedroom persona.<p>“Lioness,” Draco said wearily, cupping her face while his thumb stroked her cheek. He wanted answers, but maybe now wasn’t the time for talking. They could always talk it out later. For now, he found himself growing aroused. Her willingness to submit to him and no one else always did it for him. He kissed her once more, and his fingers moved into the hair at the base of her head. He fisted it roughly, and Hermione moaned into his mouth. He pulled her downward until her lips broke from his, and she took the hint, moving onto her knees before him. “You want to be punished? You can start by sucking me off.” He wasn’t going to last five seconds within her heat if he didn’t get a quick release first. He probably wouldn’t last long in her mouth, either, but at least it would give him some stamina to work with moving forward.</p><p>“Yes Sir,” Hermione said, looking up at him through thick mascara laden lashes. She worked his belt loose with fumbling fingers. She was still rather shaken by the turn her night had taken, but part of her was glad she’d be enjoying this evening with him instead of Ron. Draco could satisfy her in a way she didn’t even know how to ask for. He simply knew. The moment she’d freed him from his trousers she took him into her mouth, eyes locked with Draco’s as she worked more and more of his length into her throat. She was happy to take this punishment, happy to provide what she’d so foolishly denied him for the last two months. Denied herself. </p><p>Draco continued holding onto her hair, the new style he’d been so far unable to compliment her on. It made her look fierce, and powerful, and that paired with the sight of her on her knees, his cock disappearing into her eager maw, drew a groan of pleasure from deep within him. He guided her, drawing her closer to take more of him. His hips began to thrust forward into her mouth. It wasn’t something he normally did, but this was meant to be a punishment, and if he summoned memory of how suddenly she’d ended it, it was easier than he thought it’d be to take out his frustration on her.</p><p>Hermione enjoyed the rough treatment, she felt she deserved it. She relaxed her throat as best she could, letting him force his length on her. She did her best to stroke the underside of his cock with her tongue, and when she didn’t think she could take anymore of him without gagging she pulled back, long strings of saliva bridging between the head of his cock and her lips. She swirled her tongue around the head before sucking it hard, stroking his length this time with her hand. </p><p>Draco always found himself surprised when she blew him. She was just so good at it, like she genuinely enjoyed. Right now, though, he didn’t care if she enjoyed it or not. He needed it, and she was so very willing to take whatever he dished out. When she started using her hand in addition to her mouth, Draco chuckled, awed by the sensations shooting through his groin. Her fist popped over the head of his cock, sending almost painful jolts of pleasure through him. He gasped and she looked up at him with a wicked smirk, repeating the acting several times before he couldn’t stand it, and he forced her mouth back onto his length until he felt the tip of her nose on his trimmed groin.</p><p>Hermione saw it coming, and took his length with determination. She swallowed around his length, letting her throat massage him and testing her own stamina. She bobbed her head as minutely as possible, keeping as much of his length inside her throat as she could before finally she heard his breath hitch, noticed his knees buckle briefly, before being released. She gasped as she was vacated, and held her tongue out as she stroked his length, and welcomed the streams of fluid into her waiting mouth.</p><p>“Merlin, you’re so good at that,” Draco praised her, catching his breath. He released her hair and smoothed it down, petting her briefly while she sucked on his head anew, cleaning up the last few drops. When she stopped she stared up at him, and after a moment she started to rise to her feet, and when she did she pulled the zipper down the front of her dress, slowly revealing the lingerie hiding underneath. Draco nodded his approval, and when the zipper pull met its southern twin she slid the sleeves off of her shoulders and pushed the dress down her body to gather at her feet. She stepped out of it, carefully kicking it aside with one of her golden heels.</p><p>The sight of her standing there, looking so beautiful, and feminine, and sexy, but most importantly, confident, took Draco’s breath away. “I’m going to need you to bend over that couch, show me your ass.” She wanted to be punished, and he would use the fact that she’d put this outfit on for her husband, not for him, as motivation, because truth be told, he was so glad to have her back he wasn’t as mad as he needed to be.</p><p>Hermione did as she was told, walking over to the side of the couch and bending over its arm, her feet together as she thrust her rear end into the air for him. He could see her round cheeks, the straps of her garter digging into the soft flesh as she bent, holding her nylons in place. He could see the matching thong being swallowed up between the globes, the thin material scarcely covering her pussy. He could see how wet the fabric was, a few shades darker than the rest of the outfit that was dry. He wished to drop to her knees and suck the flavor out of it, but that wasn’t what she needed. She needed to be punished for being foolish enough to let Astoria get to her like she had.</p><p>He stared at her for a moment as he pulled his belt completely off. He slid the thick leather piece through his fingers for a moment, testing its weight in his hand. He remembered that first night in the hotel, when he’d whipped her with his belt for the first time. She’d practically sprayed the floor in her excitement. He knew in that moment what this witch needed. Being the one to provide was his honor. </p><p>The crack that filled the room was immediately accompanied by her shriek of surprise. He hadn’t warned her it was coming as he sometimes did. A large red welt began to grow across the width of her backside. “Yes…” Hermione moaned as she let herself relax again, momentarily tense from the blow. “Again,” she requested in a moan. Draco waited a moment, letting her sit in her juices and her anticipation, before he snapped the leather strap against her again, this time from a slightly different angle. Hermione’s knees buckled, but the couch caught her. “Yes!” she sobbed. </p><p>With each slap of leather on flesh he became increasingly aware that whatever brought her here tonight, she was still upset about it. He hit her a total of seven times, one for each week of their separation, before moving to stand directly behind her, pressing his still hard cock into her smarting ass. He wrapped the belt around her throat and with one hand on each end he pulled her back, bringing her front up as he leaned toward her. He could see tears streaming down her face anew. “Are you going to leave me again?” he asked her, adjusting his hold on the belt so that he held it in only one hand.</p><p>“No...” she whimpered, her breathing somewhat restricted. She bucked against his hand as he slid her thong out of his way, and moaned when she felt the head of his cock pressing into the weeping entrance. </p><p>“Who do you belong to?” He pressed the tip into her slightly, and pulled it out again.</p><p>“You, Mister Malfoy,” Hermione moaned. She wanted nothing more than to feel him inside of her. Her ass was still burning from his brutal punishment, but she had a feeling that it was just the start. She was in for much more, and she’d take it all night if that’s what it took.</p><p>Draco released the belt and stepped away from her. “That’s right,” he agreed.</p><p>Hermione turned around suddenly, wondering where he went, and why he wasn’t pounding into her with his wonderful cock. She made to sit on the arm of the couch unthinkingly, and jumped up again when doing so caused great pain. She saw him in the kitchen, looking through the basket of goodies she’d prepared for her and Ron. She bit her lip, another tear dropped onto her chest. </p><p>“But all of this,” he said, setting each item on the island bar top as he removed it. “This wasn’t packed up for me, was it?” Hermione shook her head. “And the dress. And the lingerie, and hair, and makeup…” She shook her head again, confirming his suspicion. She’d prepared herself for her husband, but it hadn’t gone down as expected. She’d wound up here instead. He would certainly inquire, later. Right now he had a raging hard-on which wished more than anything to be buried within her hot wet body, and a counter covered in sweet treats to aid in the experience.</p><p>“You know,” Draco said, changing the subject slightly. He opened the container of whipped cream and scooped a bit of up with one finger, sucking it off. “I didn’t have dessert tonight.” That wasn’t true, he and Astoria had enjoyed some tiramisu with their coffee after dinner, but she needn’t know that. “Why don’t you go ahead and get out of all of that, and come spread yourself out on this table for me.” The glass surface would likely be cool and refreshing on her smarting arse.</p><p>Hermione bit her lip, but was quick to obey, kicking off her shoes and working her way out of the skin-tight teddy, stockings and all. When she was completely nude, she walked up to the table. Draco met her there, and helped lift her onto the tabletop. She laid back, one leg stretched out straight in front of her, the other bent up next to it, providing some relief to her rear. She had only planned to eat the sweets with Ron, not have them eaten off of her, but Merlin, the prospect made her drip with such excitement she could feel it. </p><p>Draco retrieved a spoon from the basket and scooped a dollop of the homemade cream (he was equally impressed with her skill and enraged that she would go to such lengths for Weasley of all people) onto her breast, followed by the other. He created a trail down to her perfectly shaved pussy (she spread her legs wide for him), on which he left another generous helping. He scraped the remaining cream from within the bowl and, with the spoon very heavily laden with the light treat, he shoved it deep into her cunt. He continued forcing the cream into her until her cunt had accepted it all.</p><p>Hermione hadn’t expected that last part, at all. She moaned as the spoon spread her open, and her passage tried to reject the edible. She moaned and squirmed as he spooned it in anyway, and whimpered when the spoon was removed from her with a pop. He offered it to her a moment later, and she sucked it clean willingly. She remained still on the table when he disappeared again, likely to retrieve the strawberries or chocolate sauce, or both. She did turn her head after a moment, to find that Draco was now undressing, discarding his outfit onto the barstool for safe keeping. When he grabbed the bowl of strawberries and the chocolate sauce, Hermione turned her head again, looking up at the chandelier. Draco surprised her by climbing on top of her, straddling her middle. His hard-on jutted out in front of him, staring her in the face as she looked down her chest toward it. She bit her lip and looked up at Draco, who was ripping the top of a strawberry off.</p><p>“Hold this,” he told her, setting the strawberry between her teeth by the top end. Hermione bit into it slightly for grip. It made for a most interesting, and delicious, gag. The next thing Hermione knew, Draco was drizzling chocolate all over her neck and chest. She let her head fall back. It was warm, almost hot, which surprised her. He must have heated it with magic before returning to the table. He must have been satisfied by his work, because a moment later his mouth was on her neck, sucking and licking away the chocolate he’d just put there. His body hovered carefully over hers, avoiding the sticky sweetness he’d covered her in while he helped himself to his dessert. She moaned around the large berry as his mouth neared her breasts, and after he had licked away all the cream and chocolate there he lingered on her nipple, sucking it hard before switching to the other breast to do the same.</p><p>She swore it went on forever, but finally, finally he made his way between her legs, and she nearly choked on the berry as he began to eat the cream filling from her insides. She used her well practiced muscles in an attempt to push it out for him, but before long she wasn’t sure if he was eating the cream or just her. She squirmed and arched her back, cries of pleasure muffled by fruit as he brought her to her first climax of the evening.</p><p>Draco hadn’t actually meant to let her cum, he’d meant to make her suffer just a little while longer, but with the strawberry-gag in her mouth he must have missed her usual cues, or perhaps he’d just gotten carried away. Either way it was too late now, so he just devoured her as he loved to do, before climbing up her body once more, licking up more of the sticky mess that he’d left across her stomach as he settled over her. He bit the strawberry in half, releasing her from the burden of it as he took the second half from her with his teeth, and offered it to her to eat instead. He waited until she’d swallowed the piece and leaned up to kiss him to shove himself deep into her ready body.</p><p>Hermione gasped and moaned, finally being stretched and filled by his length as she’d been craving for so long. She wrapped her legs around him, and soon he’d guided her ankles to rest on his shoulders as he slammed into her. The table buckled underneath them, but Hermione knew from experience that he’d reinforced it the last time they’d made passionate love on top of it. It was simply the force with which he slammed himself into her wanton body that shook the furniture with such intensity. </p><p>“Fuck, yes,” Draco groaned to himself as he sank into her narrow passage. Apart from her mouth earlier, he hadn’t had the pleasure of anything but his hand, and he had to admit, his hand was not doing the trick for him now as it’d done when he was a teen. He drilled into her quickly, his thrusts deep. He didn’t care if he lasted five minutes or five hours. He’d go again and again if he had to. His cock had endured seven weeks of neglect, and he was going to make up for that lost time. He wouldn’t let her leave this apartment until he had his fill, even if it meant keeping her all night.</p><p>Hermione reached behind her, holding onto the edge of the glass with both hands while her body shook with the force of his movement, breasts jiggling wildly, unrestrained. “Oh God, Draco, yes!” she cried out. “Harder, please! As hard as you can!” She knew he was capable of more. She’d experienced it before. She didn’t expect for her pleas to make him stop altogether.</p><p>Draco slammed into her once more, hard, before ceasing all movement. He moved off the table and stood at the end of the table near her head. He grabbed the underside of her upper arms and pulled her toward him until her head fell back over the edge. There he thrust into her mouth, which fell open in surprise.</p><p>Hermione hadn’t expected the sudden change, nor had he ever handled her in this particular way. She nearly choked when his cock first forced its way into her mouth, but she recovered as best she could, relaxing her throat and opening wide so that her teeth wouldn’t scrape the sensitive member as he thrust roughly into her.</p><p>Draco leaned over her, placing his hands on her bouncing tits and holding them in place as he continued bucking his hips forward into her mouth. He could feel his balls slapping into her nose with each thrust, and while this was normally not the kind of humiliation he aimed for, today it seemed appropriate. Eventually, though, he could feel her beginning to panic slightly, and she tapped his hip urgently. As he withdrew she gasped loudly. She must not have been able to breathe well while being face-fucked upside down. Whoops.</p><p>Hermione turned over onto her stomach, looking up at him in awe as she licked the excess saliva from her mouth, panting slightly as she caught her breath. She was waiting, patient, for a new order, or for him to do something else new and exciting as part of this punishment. He leaned down to kiss her, and she kissed him back eagerly, but when no further order came, she moved off the table and stood before him, stroking him with one hand, rubbing the head of his cock against her still dripping cunt. “Is my punishment over already?” she asked, disappointed.</p><p>“Not even remotely,” Draco answered, and kissed her hard. “Go to the bedroom, get on all fours on the bed, and prepare your pretty little ass for a hostile invasion.” She whimpered and nodded, kissing Draco once more in thanks before going to do as she was told.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So delicious. Not sorry. Not even a little bit.</p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. The Punishment Part 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Draco continues to punish Hermione, taking it to a whole new level.</p><p>Anal, Rough Anal, Rimming, Food Play (champagne), Choking, Humiliation</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So I didn't get 15 requests, yet, but SCREW IT! It's my story and I say I'm posting this bonus chapter now anyway! ENJOY!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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</div>Draco decided to give Hermione some time to get herself ready. He also wanted to build tension, letting her sit and think about what might be to come. He took the bottle of champagne from the basket. It was still cold, the basket was clearly charmed to keep the items inside fresh. She was clever in that way. He retrieved a couple flutes from the cabinet, and lingered a while longer. He was curious to see how she would obey his order, it’d been rather vague.<p>Hermione entered the bedroom and looked around. She’d been told to prepare herself, so her first thought was lubricant. Hermione went to the end table and opened the drawer. He kept more in the dresser, she knew, but she was forbidden from going into those drawers. He kept surprises for her there. In the end table, however, she found a variety of items that had been used once or twice before, go-tos, as well as a selection of different types and flavors of lubricants. She selected a bottle of water based lube, which was strawberry flavored. Draco had never been hesitant to put his mouth or tongue down there before, he wouldn’t be shy now, so flavored lube it was.</p><p>She bit her lip, wondering with what method she should apply it. She wasn’t used to being tasked with such a chore. He usually did it all himself. She didn’t want to use her fingers, so she found a small vibrator he’d acquired. She left it off, but moved onto the bed, onto all fours as she’d been told. He could come in at any moment, and she wanted to be sure that she was doing as ordered. Kneeling on her forearms she squeezed some of the fruity liquid onto the toy, closed the cap, and then reached behind her. Letting herself relax, she began to slowly insert the toy, little by little, in and out, allowing it to do the work of spreading the lube into the narrow cavern. It moved with ease, and a soft moan passed her lips as she found herself enjoying the steady sensation of the toy passing in and out of her puckered opening. </p><p>Draco watched from the doorway, not yet alerting her to his presence. She was losing herself in the act, the small toy doing very little to gape, he’d have to take care of that himself, but it served its purpose in creating a slippery passage for him. He set the bottle and glasses down on the floor at the foot of the bed, approached her slowly, and moved onto his knees on the bed behind her, leaving his wand within reach, he’d need it later. She continued working until told otherwise, moaning softly. Finally Draco gently took her wrist, and she stilled, dropping the toy. Draco removed it from her, and brought it to her lips in offering.</p><p>Hermione hesitated. She knew that he enjoyed tasting every part of her body, that part included, but he’d never expected her to do the same, until now. Was this part of the punishment, or was he simply challenging her to try something new? Whatever it was, Hermione opened up and slowly sucked the toy clean as he guided it in and out of her mouth. Thankfully, all she really tasted was the artificial strawberry flavoring.</p><p>Draco set the toy down and stuffed three fingers into her prepared opening, earning a gasp and a moan. He took up the lube and squirted more into the opening, continuing to spread it as he twisted the three digits within her. </p><p>Hermione whimpered and squirmed. She loved when he played with her ass. It was something so wrong that she had only ever allowed him to do to her. It might very well be her favorite thing she’d ever experienced in a bedroom. She wanted to beg him to fuck her already, but she was afraid that if she did he would refuse her altogether.</p><p>Draco withdrew his fingers, offering these to her as well, and she obediently took them, sucking them clean. Without warning he shoved his cock deep into her in one swift motion. She let out a cry of surprise around the fingers in her mouth, and he withdrew them for fear she would accidentally bite down.</p><p>“Fuck yes!” Hermione exclaimed happily, so glad to finally feel him deep within her ass that she nearly laughed with excitement. It’d been two long months since she’d had the pleasure. She braced herself on the bed, gripping the comforter underneath her as his forceful thrusts rocked her body and the bed alike. “Oh gods, yes, Mister Malfoy, fuck me! Fuck my ass!” It’d taken some time for her to adjust to the dirty talk, but he thrived under the encouragement, and that meant more pleasure for her.</p><p>Draco heeded her request for a long while. Merlin, she felt so good. He always enjoyed being buried in her glorious ass, as much as he did with her tight cunt, maybe more because of how excited it made her. He almost forgot that he had other intentions with her, and pulled out of her suddenly and without warning once more. Hermione whimpered and dropped her front end to the bed, silent sobs displaying her disappointment. </p><p>“I was so close,” she complained sadly, pawing at the blanket still. The very sudden pop of the champagne cork startled her, and she turned around in time to see Draco pour a glass of the bubbly beverage into one of the flutes. He brought it to her.</p><p>“Thirsty?” he asked her as he placed it upon her bottom lip. Hermione opened her mouth and carefully took a couple of sips before he lowered the glass and disappeared behind her once more.</p><p>“Thank you,” she said to him, wondering what he was playing at. But she didn’t inquire. It wouldn’t serve her to do so. The element of surprise was all a part of the game, she’d learned. She would find out soon eno- “Oh!” Hermione gasped, eyes going wide as her fingernails dug into the covers. “Oh God, Draco!” She could feel the champagne traveling down her cavity, bubbling and tickling her insides as the ice-cold liquid slowly filled her. It was by far the strangest sensation she’d ever experienced, the carbonated bubbles popping and sizzling within her. It didn’t hurt, she suspected the lubricant had created a sort of protective coating, but she felt it quite intimately, every bit of it. She had no idea why it made her toes curl the way it did, but she suspected it was the sheer filthiness of the act that was turning her on.</p><p>Draco held her open as wide as he could with both hands, a mouthful of champagne slowly dripping into the gaped opening. He put another large portion of the drink into his mouth, and repeated the process, until he could see her filling up with it. He swallowed what remained in his mouth, before leaning forward and dipping his tongue into the pool, lapping at the liquid within. “Hold still,” he warned her, feeling her begin to writhe with the oddity of it all. He brought the flute back to the opening, still holding her open as best he could with just the one hand. Champagne began to pour out of her as she tightened back into her normal state, and he caught it in the glass, refilling it nearly to its original level. Finally he released her cheeks, and a few more drops escaped her as her hole closed back up like the miraculous muscle it was. He reached for his wand and levitated the glass onto the dresser to be taken care of at a later time.</p><p>He offered one more flat lick to the area before he leaned his body over Hermione's. One hand went around her middle, the other around her neck, and he sat up once more, pulling Hermione's upper half straight as well. With just his hand held tightly over her throat, holding her place with her back to his chest, he reached with his other hand for the bottle, and took a drink directly from it, before bringing it to Hermione's lips. </p><p>Hermione was still trying to wrap her mind around whatever it was that he'd just done to her, and why, but the bottle was being presented to her, and she knew non-compliance would not serve her well tonight. She wrapped her mouth around it and drank. The more she did, the higher he began to tilt it, and she could hardly keep up, drinking down the bubbly liquid as fast as she could. Some of it was beginning to spill down the corners of her mouth. She could hardly breathe as it was, and then he was suddenly inside of her again, and she cried out, effectively abandoning the beverage to instead splash down her front. </p><p>Draco tossed the bottle to the floor without concern for the carpet and wrapped his once again free arm low around her. He was bucking into her fiercely, and his fingers found her clit to rub it just as harshly.</p><p>The sensations were overwhelming. Hermione reached one arm back, holding onto the back of his neck while her other went to her own breast, squeezing it and pinching her own nipple. “God Draco, yes, don’t stop! Please don’t stop!” she begged, her voice strained against the tight hold he had on her throat. She was insanely turned on, and the mild block to her air supply made her lightheaded, adding the ecstasy.</p><p>He’d had some time to think about it, about this punishment, and he’d decided that it wouldn’t be over when they left this place. No, a separation like theirs would take much more to make up for. He wanted a show of commitment, and he thought he’d decided on how he wanted her to display that commitment. He’d have to tell her about that later, but for now, he had some things he needed to say.</p><p>“Do you have any idea how good it is to be fucking you right now?” Draco asked her in a dark, lust-filled voice, continuing to pound his cock deep into her already aching body. “To have your tight ass stroking me with its strong muscles? To feel your juices dripping out of you as I make you cum?” His words were as sharp as his thrusts, and Hermione whimpered, too lost in pleasure to respond, though she guessed he was speaking rhetorically anyway. “But you know what’s my favorite part? It’s hearing you moan, and scream, and beg for it.”</p><p>Even as he spoke Hermione was losing her senses. He was pinching her clit now, rubbing it between his thumb and index finger as she was doing to her own nipple. “Yes, Mister Malfoy,” was all she could think to reply. “Yes, give it to me, I’m cumming!” He’d said he loved to hear her beg for it, so beg she would, and in true Malfoy fashion, he switched tactics, rubbing her clit with his fingers quickly until her orgasm shot out of her, splashing onto the bed in front of her. “OH LORD! YES!” she began to scream. He was unrelenting, and she was starting to feel weak. She didn’t know how much longer her legs could support her, even with his arms around her as they were. She was becoming dizzy from lack of oxygen.</p><p>“That’s it, my Lioness, cum for me like the dirty little anal slut you are.” He’d never spoken down to her in this manner, but tonight it felt appropriate, and besides, it wasn’t a lie. She wasn’t shy about her need to be taken in such a manner, not with him anyway. Why should he tip-toe around it? She was, in fact, a dirty little anal slut, and he loved being the only one on the planet who was privy to that knowledge. Draco groaned, his legs were burning. He was running out of stamina, and her ass was gripping down on him so hard that he didn’t think he’d last much longer if he tried. He released his hold on her throat and she immediately fell forward onto her chest, her breasts breaking her fall as she landed in the wet mess she’d made when she came. He grabbed onto her hips instead, drawing them to him to double his efforts, until finally he spilled into her, stream after heavy stream, which oozed out of her gaped hole with each new thrust. “FUCK!” Draco shouted as he thrust once more and came to a stop.</p><p>He sat back on his heels, his tired cock slipping out from within her as it began to shrink down. Draco watched the cum leak out of her before Hermione slowly turned over onto her back between his legs. Both of them were panting heavily. Four horizontal marks were left on her neck where his fingers had held her. Now that it was over, concern set in. Had he gone too far? Somewhere in all of her pleasure, had he crossed a line and scared her? He lowered himself onto his forearms and swept the sweaty hair from her forehead, before kissing it gently. He kissed all over her face in demonstration of his genuine care for her.</p><p>Hermione could tell that Draco felt the need to show her a softer form of affection. She’d needed it too after everything that had just taken place. When he began peppering her face with kisses she turned her head to capture him in a tender show of acceptance. She’d asked him to punish her, and Merlin, he’d delivered. They kissed one another softly for several moments before Draco rested his forehead against hers.</p><p>“I missed you,” he said to her for the first time, though it should have been obvious.</p><p>“I missed you too,” Hermione agreed as a fresh tear fell from her eye, dripping down toward the top of her ear. “I’m so sorry. I should have never-”</p><p>“Shh,” Draco interrupted her. He rolled over beside her, and pulled her into his embrace. Hermione immediately moved in to cuddle against him, something she rarely had enough time to do, their time together so often under constraint due to their busy schedules and families. They laid like that for a long while, just soaking in one another’s presence.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you all found this VERY KINKY little piece as enjoyable as I did. Did I make you blush? Not sorry. Tell me what you loved, what you didn't care so much for, and what you CRAVE to see appear in a future chapter. LOTS OF LOVE to all my readers. I'm averaging about a thousand of you per chapter which is AMAZING!!! It makes me so happy! (becauseI'mawriterandIneedlotsandlotsofvalidationthanks!)</p>
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<a name="section0017"><h2>17. The First Sleepover</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hermione and Draco spend the night together in their condo, creating a whole new level of intimacy in their so far only sexual relationship.</p>
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</div>“How did you catch him?” Draco was a lot of things, but slow he was not. He knew that the only reason that she was putting her marriage and career on the line anew was because she no longer had a marriage worth protecting.<p>“At work,” Hermione said in a small voice from where her head laid on his chest. “With an employee.” She could feel herself getting worked up again. She didn’t want to be talking about this, but he was asking, and she could see that he had been angry with her, she didn’t want to refuse him the information. “She’s only eighteen, and tall, and thin, and athletic...” She squinted her eyes shut as more tears burned within them, loosing a few to fall onto his chest. </p><p>The teenager had worked at the shop since she graduated Hogwarts that past summer. She’d played as a Gryffindor keeper for the last few years. She was a “prankster in training” as George called it, a loyal customer for years before applying for the job. Enough so that both Ron and George knew her by name, and hired her on the spot. Hermione knew these things, because Ron had shared this information with her excitedly upon her hire, and had mentioned her again several times since. She was exactly the kind of girl she thought Ron would leave her for, if he ever did. If he ever had the bullocks. But instead he was just fucking her right at work. It was at the very least a sexual harassment suit waiting to happen. </p><p>“How long?” Draco asked her, frowning. She was clearly in a lot of pain. It was very different from what happened between him and his wife. They didn’t cheat. They didn’t lie. They didn’t hurt each other.</p><p>“I don’t know,” Hermione said through a sob. “I didn’t think to ask. I was too shocked. Months, I’m sure.” She kept thinking back, trying to pinpoint a change in his schedule. A change in his personality, anything to create a timeline. “God, what if she’s not even the first? He stopped being interested in touching me when I was pregnant with Hugo. After he was born Ron was still only interested in shagging me at night before bed, just enough to get off and fall asleep.” She hadn’t realized it until now, and now it seemed so obvious. Their sex life had never been crazy or adventurous but at least it used to be passionate.</p><p>Draco frowned and held her more tightly. “I’m so sorry, Lioness,” he said to her softly, and kissed the top of her head. </p><p>Some might say she deserved it, because of what they were doing together, but he thought it was like apples and oranges to compare the two. It sounded to him like Weasley had tried to trade Hermione in for a younger, skinnier model, which Draco thought was absurd, because he for one happened to find Hermione much sexier with her curves. It wasn’t as though she was overweight, by any stretch of the imagination. She still had her narrow waist, and her shapely legs, but with more hips and breast to balance out her figure. She was a damn Aphrodite in his eyes. </p><p>As for Hermione, she’d only stepped out because he’d convinced her, rightfully so it seemed, that being neglected by the man who was supposed to love her wasn’t good enough for a goddess like herself. She needed to be loved, and appreciated, and made to feel beautiful. And of course, to be fucked beyond all senses. He was beyond grateful to be the one who did that for her.</p><p>“I told him that if he doesn’t need me for sex anymore, I don’t need him,” Hermione confessed, and Draco couldn’t help but smile a satisfied grin. It was nice to know that she wasn’t going to force him to end his affair, because it meant that they didn’t have to end theirs.</p><p>“And what did he say to that?” Draco wondered, wishing he could have seen the look on the weasel’s face when he realized that Hermione also had options.</p><p>Hermione sighed. “Well he didn’t get the chance to say anything then, I apparated away first, but prior to that he accused me of cheating as well.” She turned her face towards his, propping her chin on his chest. “He’s more perceptive than I gave him credit for, but I denied it. I probably should have just confessed, but I was too mad to give up the upper-hand.”</p><p>“No,” Draco said. “It’s good you didn’t. Now it looks as though anything you do is simply in retaliation to his cheating.” It was quite brilliant actually. In fact their affair really had been, unbeknownst to them at the time, a response to his cheating all along. His cheating, his neglect, his complete disregard for her as a sexual being. The fool.</p><p>“You’re probably right,” Hermione agreed, and she looked into his eyes for a long moment before kissing him again. He put his arms around her and simply enjoyed the feeling of his lips on hers, their tongues playing together within their mouths. It was the most intimacy they’d managed to share in a long time. Too often it was just the good hard sex and very little more. Tonight it felt more like their night at the hotel, and even that night had ended too soon. Tonight they could hold each other, and enjoy each other. “I don’t want to go home tonight,” Hermione confessed.</p><p>“I wasn’t going to let you anyway,” Draco replied with a smirk. “Though maybe you should let him know, just so that he doesn’t send a team of his Auror friends out looking for you.” That’s just what they needed, a whole brood of robed Aurors blasting their door in in search of her.</p><p>Hermione groaned. “I should, shouldn’t I?” She kissed him once more before moving off of the bed. When she did so, she became hyper-aware of the fact that every inch of her body was covered in either sweat, champagne, or cum, if not a combination of the three. “I need a shower,” she told him with a slight grin.</p><p>Draco laughed, watching her move, naked and on shaky legs, out of the room to find her purse. While she was taking care of that unfortunate business, Draco moved off the bed as well. Much like Hermione’s body, it too was completely soiled in a myriad of different fluids. He found his wand and levitated the soaked linens off of the bed. He cast a cleaning charm over the soaked mattress, and a fresh set of bedding floated out of the closet onto the bed, making itself up to fresh clean perfection. He also picked up the now empty bottle and cleaned the carpet. Hermione reentered the room as the pillows were fluffing themselves.</p><p>Hermione set her phone down on the dresser with a sigh and walked over to Draco. “Looks like I’m all yours tonight,” she told him, reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck. </p><p>Draco’s arms wrapped around her middle. “I told you I’d get you to myself one day,” he said as he leaned in and kissed her. Despite his urge to carry her into the bathroom and have her again under the hot stream of the shower, he released her. “Go wash up.” he said as he smacked her bare cheek playfully, making her laugh.</p><p>“Yes, Sir,” Hermione agreed, before going to do as he said. </p><p>After they were both clean and wrapped in the plush towels Draco had purchased when he furnished the flat, they moved to the living room, cuddling up on the couch together. “It’s lucky you splurged for the telly,” Hermione said as she reached for the remote. </p><p>“Yeah, well, I don’t have one at home, so this was my chance,” Draco told her with a smirk, pulling her closer to him as they settled in. </p><p>“I take it Astoria doesn’t approve,” Hemrione guessed. She flipped through the channels, looking for anything interesting. She stopped on a rerun of a popular sitcom.</p><p>Draco chuckled, taking the remote and setting it on the back of the couch before wrapping his arms around her. “My wife doesn’t tell me what to do,” he told her with a smirk. “She just doesn’t want Scorpius growing up like a... How did she put it? Mindless zombie,” he said with a laugh. </p><p>Hermione laughed as well. “I grew up with a television in the house and I didn’t become a mindless zombie,” she pointed out.</p><p>“Oh yeah? Do your kids watch television?” Draco asked her.</p><p>Hermione thought about that. “We have one, but we don’t use it very often. The one in the bedroom gets used more. Ron likes it.” She frowned then, thinking about Ron, her lying, cheating scumbag of a husband.</p><p>Draco sensed that there was more to her silence than the end of her sentence, and gave her a small squeeze. “Well I promise never to put a television in the bedroom. The only entertainment I need in there is you,” he told her. His hand slipped under her robe to cup one of her breasts, and Hermione laughed.</p><p>“What are you doing?” she asked him as he began to mindlessly play with her nipple. It formed into a hard point after a few moments of his touch.</p><p>“Nothing,” Draco denied, his eyes on the television. She let out a content sigh and melted into him. She had wondered at some points in their affair, if she was truly risking it all just for sex. Would there still be passionate and care for one another without sex? If somehow the two of them were not married, would they have a real relationship to speak of? But as she laid between his legs, casually watching the television, while he casually fondled her breast, she remembered that their friendship had begun twelve years ago, during their final year at Hogwarts while they served as head boy and girl together. Of course they’d never cuddled and fondled each other back then, but they’d learned to grow very comfortable in one another’s presence, even to the point of enjoying one another’s company.</p><p>They watched television for more than an hour before their casual cuddle turned into very handsy foreplay, and soon they’d made it back to the bedroom. Hermione looked down at Draco as she slowly rode him. It wasn’t very often Hermione got to ride Draco. Too often he was so busy dominating her that she could barely handle just being on the receiving end. Now, however, he wasn’t dominating her. Possibly for the first time the two were sharing a new level of intimacy. Her eyes fell closed as she rocked her body on top of him, his length buried deep within her as she leaned into his hands, which held one of each of the mounds he favored so much. </p><p>Draco gazed up at her, mesmerized by the sight of her lost in her own pleasure. He bucked up into her, he couldn’t help himself. She gasped and threw her head back, and he continued. He planted his feet against the mattress and slammed into her at the same rate at which she moved, and she cried out, moaning louder and louder until he felt her walls clamp down on him in the way he was so familiar. She rode him harder, and faster, until finally her mouth fell open in a silent scream, before she slumped forward, falling limp on top of him. Draco wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead while he continued moving inside of her.</p><p>“Oh, lord, Draco…” Hermione moaned through her exhaustion. Her lips found his for one lingering kiss before her head fell once more onto his chest. He continued moving inside of her until she whimpered for mercy. </p><p>Draco rolled Hermione over, peppering kisses across her neck, teasing his way up to hear earlobe, which he sucked and tugged on lightly with his teeth. She moaned softly while he steadied his movement, his thrusts now gentle and languid. “Hermione…” he whispered her name with need, a need to say words he knew she didn’t want to hear. Words of affection, of confession, but he held them in, not wanting to ruin this perfect moment. Instead he bucked into her forcefully once more, twice more, and upon the third time he spilled into her tired body. </p><p>The pair of them laid motionless for a moment longer before Draco rolled off of her. Hermione curled in next to him, putting one leg over his and her face on his chest. She listened to his breathing, his heart pounding in his chest as it gradually returned to its resting rhythm. Her fingers traced figures over his chest for a moment, and her eyes spotted the minute pink scar that ran nearly the full length from his right hip to his left shoulder. She’d never noticed it before, she supposed she’d never looked this closely, but she knew immediately where it was from. She kissed it gently where it crossed the center of his chest.</p><p>“What happens tomorrow?” Hermione asked, breaking the long but comforting silence. She propped her chin on his chest as he picked his head up to look down at her.</p><p>It took Draco a moment of thought to come up with an answer, after figuring out the true root of her question. She was seeking advice on how to handle her marriage. It seemed silly to ask him. He’d never experienced what she was going through, and he was entirely biased on the matter, to boot, but she trusted him, and maybe she even relied on him. He liked that idea very much. “Tomorrow you go back to being a mother and a wife,” Draco told her, trying to hold in the feeling of defeat. </p><p>“I don’t know if I want to be his wife anymore,” Hermione confessed, her voice catching in her throat at the confession being spoken out loud. </p><p>“You have to be,” Draco reminded her, as much as he hated it as well. </p><p>“But... “ Hermione thought for a moment. “I don’t have to let him touch me.” She leaned up, propping herself up on her forearm on his chest to meet his gaze without them both straining their necks. “I only want you to touch me, from now on.”</p><p>Draco couldn’t help but smile. “Deal,” he agreed, leaning forward to kiss on it. “Speaking of me touching you,” Draco mentioned with a growing smirk. “There’s one more part to your punishment I’ve forgotten to mention…”</p><p>By the time Draco had finished explaining the final phase of Hermione’s punishment it was very late in the night, and the two barely managed to find the energy to crawl under the covers for heat before falling asleep, Draco wrapping his body around Hermione’s protectively through the night, and in the morning Draco took great care to remove marks that had been left on Hermione’s fragile skin. Bruising from her neck, her legs, and most importantly, the many deep welted bruises from her backside where his belt had met her so hard that small specks of blood had reached the surface, dotting the purple bruises with red. He healed them, and massaged them, and then made love to Hermione one more time before allowing her to leave him. He conveniently forgot, however, to remove the bites and bruises from her supple breasts. No, those he wanted Weasley to see. Those he left to show the red headed fool that Hermione had in fact found another man to please her through the night, just in case he had any doubts.</p><p>He returned home just after breakfast, and Astoria was in the sun room while Scorpius was up in his playroom. Draco joined her, unable to hide how smug he was feeling.</p><p>“So, did she leave him?” she asked when he took his seat next to her, her eyes on her fingernail as she filed away a chip. Draco wasn’t entirely sure why, but it was obvious that she was annoyed. If he had to guess it was because he’d spent the night away from her, possibly for the first time in their marriage, by his initiation, at least.</p><p>“No,” Draco answered, unbothered. Astoria turned to look at him, surprised.</p><p>“So, what? She just wanted one more night, to say goodbye?” Astoria guessed next.</p><p>“No, not at all. In fact she’s more committed to me now than ever.” Draco laughed at her expression. “Close your mouth, dear. You look like a fish.”</p><p>Astoria’s mouth snapped shut and her eyes narrowed. “So you’re just going to continue letting her put her family and her career on the line, just so you can have sex with her?”</p><p>Draco rolled his eyes at her accusation. “You know, Astoria, believe it or not not everything is about sex with me. It wasn’t about sex when I married you, and it’s not just about sex between her and I, either.”</p><p>“And does she know this?” She asked him, raising one brow in challenge.</p><p>Draco took Astoria’s nail file from her hand, and despite the appalled look on her face, used it to file out a snag in one of his own nails that had been catching on positively everything. “I’ve had to learn to live with only half of you. I think I can live with only half of her, too.” He passed the file back as he stood, leaving the sun room to go find his son. It was Sunday, one of the only days he had the opportunity to just enjoy being at home with his family.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I know many of you were craving some INTIMACY between Hermione and Draco, and it was always on the agenda, so I hope you enjoyed this view into their first overnight date. Next week we look forward to the overdue blow-up between Hermione and Ron.</p><p>As always please Kudos and Comment! I reply to almost every comment so if you have questions or ideas I'd love to hear them. </p><p>Also, if you haven't already, please like my Facebook page for updates on ALL my active work, one-shots, etc. look for "KBLynne FanFiction"</p>
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<a name="section0018"><h2>18. The Face Down</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hermione and Ron are forced to confront their infidelity and come up with a plan for how to move forward.</p>
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</div><p>When Hermione arrived home the following morning she could hear her family in Hugo’s room. She watched from the doorway briefly while Ron changed Hugo, and Rose assisted, holding a fresh nappy for Ron to put on him. She didn’t want to be seen just yet, however, and snuck away, down to the master where she undressed and got in the shower. She thought she’d be more upset than she was. Spending the night with Draco had shown her that she didn’t need to force a perfect marriage in order to be happy. She had her children, she had her job, and she had Draco. So what if Ron wanted to shag other women?</p><p>When she emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in her towel, she was startled to find Ron sitting on the edge of the bed, waiting for her. He looked angry, and Hermione immediately rolled her eyes in annoyance. He was angry at her? That was rich. She opened her mouth to comment so when he started in on her instead.</p><p>“Do you have any idea how humiliating it was for me to come home to the sitter, my sister-in-law, last night, alone?” Ron yelled at her. “You just took off! I had no idea where you were. I had no idea if you were alright. I-” </p><p>Hermione glared at Ron and retrieved her wand from the dresser, casting a sound barrier on their room so that the children wouldn’t be exposed to their fight. “Oh fuck off, Ronald Weasley. You have no place, none, to be telling me that I’m wrong after I walked in on what I did!”</p><p>“You were out all night!”</p><p>“You were getting your dick sucked by a teenage girl, Ron! A teenage girl!” She was so angry she thought she might very well cry again. She suddenly could see it again, that little tramp on her knees, her blouse opened so that Ron could stare at her perky tits while she blew him. It made her stomach turn.</p><p>Ron didn’t have a response to that, so instead he changed directions. “And who were you with last night, huh? Who did you go running to? You must have had someone lined up pretty quick!”</p><p>“Did it escape your notice that I just needed to get away from you for the night?” Hermione snapped. Just because he was right didn’t mean he needed to know that. She held her towel in place with one hand while she moved to her dresser to pull out something to put on. She didn’t much feel like having this argument naked. “Maybe I just went to a girlfriend’s for the night? Did that ever occur to you?”</p><p>Ron watched her, glaring daggers as his wife who always seemed to have the perfect explanation to everything. He watched her slip into her knickers and then drop her towel to put on her bra, and that’s when he saw the marks all over her breasts. Bites, bruises. “Yeah, and was it one of those girlfriends who was nibbling all over your tits?” he snapped, jumping off the bed to stop her before she could cover herself up.</p><p>Hermione looked down at her chest, and she couldn’t help but smile. Malfoy was a devil, he always had been. He just had to leave his mark for Ron to find… “Maybe it was,” Hermione said to Ron with a mischievous grin. He wasn’t at all amused. “A little wine, a little innocent experimentation…” She went on as she stepped away from him to get her bra on.</p><p>“You’re so full of shit,” Ron called her out, following her to the closet while she went to select an outfit for the day.</p><p>Hermione was getting annoyed now. He had a lot of nerve being so upset with her. She pulled a pair of jeans off a shelf and stepped into them, buttoning them over her stomach before looking up at him with matching fury.</p><p>“How long, Ron? How long have you been fucking other girls?” She was tired of playing. She wanted the truth. </p><p>Ron took a step back. “Who says I’m fucking other girls?” Two could play the “maybe” game. She’d evaded his questions, why did he have to answer hers?</p><p>“Stop it Ron.” She ripped a blouse off its hanger harshly. The plastic hanger snapped and fell to the floor in two pieces. “You and I both know that you stopped being sexually attracted to me as soon as I was too pregnant to see my own cunt.” She pulled the top over her head and straightened out the cowl neckline.</p><p>Ron was visibly startled by her crude choice of words. “That’s not true,” he denied.</p><p>Hermione huffed angrily and pulled her wet hair out of the back of her shirt habitually, forgetting that it was now too short for that to be necessary. “It is, Ron! I always knew but I never thought you would actually-” she choked on the last word, growing emotional as she thought about it. She took a moment to harden herself again. “I never thought you were actually getting what you wanted from someone else.”</p><p>Ron softened. “I-” he frowned and moved out of the closet to let her out. “I didn’t know that’s what I was doing,” Ron confessed, poorly at that.</p><p>“You didn’t know? You didn’t know that you were cheating on me because being pregnant with your child was making me less appealing to you?!” It was the most idiotic excuse she’d ever heard. “Because working full time and taking care of Rose, and this house, while being pregnant wasn’t leaving enough time for me to take good enough care of my body?”</p><p>“It wasn’t like that,” Ron denied. </p><p>“Oh?” Hermione crossed her arms over her chest. “What was it like, then?” She couldn’t wait to hear what his reason was.</p><p>“It wasn’t your weight, it was-” He huffed and mirrored her with his arms over his chest. “It was your constant attitude and complete disregard for my needs.”</p><p>The brunette’s eyes went wide. “My attitude?” she quoted back to him. “Your needs?” She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. It was worse than him just not being attracted to her body. He’d actually been deluded enough to think that he wasn’t being treated properly!? “You son of a bitch…”</p><p>“Leave my mother out of this,” Ron snapped.</p><p>“Your mother would be DISGUSTED if she knew what kind of man you were!” Hermione shouted, glad that she’d put up the sound barrier. “So you’re admitting it! You’ve been cheating on me for nearly TWO YEARS!?”</p><p>“Yeah!” Ron admitted in his anger. “Yeah, I have! And it’s the most excitement I get in this boring life!”</p><p>Hermione picked up a perfume bottle from her dresser and chucked it at him. He dodged it and glowered at her. “You complete ASS!” She picked up another bottle but this time Ron stopped it in mid air with his wand. </p><p>“Quit throwing things at me you crazy bitch!” He released the spell and the bottle fell to the floor, breaking open to spill into the carpet. “See? This is exactly why! You’re mean to me and you never think you’re wrong!”</p><p>“How many have there been, Ron? How many teenage subordinates? How many other women have you shagged in the last two years?” Her eyes filled with tears, which burned as she tried to absorb all this information, most importantly any role she might have played in pushing him away.</p><p>“I don’t know,” Ron answered quickly, not having done the math.</p><p>Hermione’s stomach flipped, and she sat on the edge of the bed, her jaw dropped. She shut it upon realization. “You don’t know…” She shook her head disbelieving. </p><p>“Three, four...” Ron answered. “Maybe more.”</p><p>Hermione hung her head in shame and disgust. He couldn’t even give her a real number. “Oh God…” She covered her mouth with one hand as a sob forced its way out of her. </p><p>“Hermione-”</p><p>“DON’T!” She put one hand up in his direction, warning him not to approach. She couldn’t look at him, she didn’t want to hear any more of his hate-filled confessions. She thought she might be sick. “I think you need to leave,” she spoke into her hand.</p><p>“What?” Ron asked in a puffed up tone. “You’re kicking me out? Like you didn’t just spend the whole night with some other bloke?”</p><p>“At least I can count the one man I was with,” Hermione snapped, still not looking at him. Her focus was on not having a complete breakdown. She kept her breathing as steady as she could. “I just need some time to figure this out.” It was so much worse than she could have guessed. He still couldn’t figure out exactly how many other tramps he had hooked up with. She had so many questions but at the same time she didn’t want the answers. </p><p>“I knew it! You can’t tell me to-”</p><p>She interrupted by turning on him with a dangerous look, hot angry tears streaming down her face. “Go find yourself some excitement, then, Ronald! I don’t care! Just get out of this boring bedroom! Get out of this boring house! I don’t want to see your face!” </p><p> </p><p>It was nearly dinner time before Ron returned home, having heeded Hermione’s request to leave her to figure things out. Hermione had tried to distract herself, throwing herself into having a wonderful afternoon with her two children. They did some arts and crafts before lunch, followed by their naps, and when they woke she baked cookies with them for an afternoon snack. It was a very pleasant afternoon, save for the tormenting thoughts of where her husband might be and whom he might be buried to the curly red pubes within.</p><p>She was setting the table when she heard the roar of fire in the living room announcing his arrival. She paused only long enough to see that it was him stepping through the hearth before resuming her task. He greeted the kids. At least they were happy to see him. Finally he entered the dining room, where he stood staring at her, waiting for her to say something.</p><p>“Aren’t you going to ask where I was?” Ron asked in a snippy tone.</p><p>Hermione scrunched her nose. “Ugh, well I can smell the beer on your breath from here so I have a pretty good guess.” She didn’t know if she preferred it, but if she had to guess she’d say he must have been with Theo. Ever since Theo Nott joined the DMLE a handful of years ago he and Ron had made fast friends, and often indulged in a large variety of craft beer as if it was some sort of hobby. She wasn’t a fan of the friendship. Theo had always been a bit of a bad influence on Ron, and she didn’t appreciate how any time they spent together resulted in Ron coming home sloppy drunk and reeking of hops. But, at least he wasn’t out getting laid.</p><p>Ron rolled his eyes. “At least he listens to my side of the story,” he said defensively, as though she’d said something against his mate. She hadn’t, but her tone held the implication well enough.</p><p>“Your side?” Hermione laughed as she set the forks to the left of the plates. “That’s the ‘my pregnant wife isn’t being nice to me so I’ll find someone else to get my rocks off with’ side, is it? And what about the year and a half since then?” She looked up at him again as she set down a butter knife.</p><p>Ron wasn’t sure if the look paired with the action was meant to be a threat, but he didn’t appreciate it all the same. “Would you stop that so that we can talk?”</p><p>Hermione rolled her eyes. “No, Ronald, I can’t. We’re having dinner and putting the kids to bed so that we can talk.” She’d only allowed herself to indulge in one glass of wine, because she had the kids to take care of, and she’d need more than that in order to have this conversation with him once and for all.</p><p>“Fine.” He didn’t know how to argue with that.</p><p>“Can you go get them washed up for dinner?” She was straightening the place settings now, distracting herself with perfecting what would be dismantled in a few short minutes anyway. “If you’re sober enough to manage it.”</p><p>Ron recognized that this wasn’t so much a request as a pleasantly phrased order, and went to go do just that. Hermione returned to the kitchen to gather the meal she’d prepared. A pork roast with mixed root vegetables floated its way to the table while she carried in the basket of dinner rolls, charmed to keep its contents warm. In silence Hermione cut up pieces of pork, potato, and carrots for Rose and Hugo. She placed Hugo’s “Little Einsteins” plastic plate on his high chair tray, and Rose’s “Peppa Pig” in front of her seat as well.</p><p>As they ate the only conversation they shared was with their children, each of them taking the responsibility to tend to one child’s needs throughout the meal, and when at last it was over Hermione informed Ron that she would be giving the kids their baths and putting them to bed, and he would be doing the dishes. Not wanting to argue, Ron moved to the kitchen while Hermione took the toddlers to their bathroom.</p><p>Finally the couple were once again seated at the dining room table. Between them sat a bottle of wine, which Hermione used to fill her glass much higher than was considered polite. She drank deeply from the burgundy before sighing. “I don’t suppose your visit with Theo resulted in any inspiration for how we should move forward from here,” Hermione presumed.</p><p>“Now why would I waste my energy with that when we both know that you’re just going to tell me how it’s going to be, just like you always do,” Ron answered with a slight pout. He played with his wine glass for a moment before taking a drink.</p><p>“Perhaps that’s for the best then. I can’t imagine any plan the two of you could have come up with would have been solid.” She didn’t mind insulting him, especially not when paired with his partner in crime. “Luckily I’ve done plenty of thinking, and I believe I’ve come up with a solution.”</p><p>“Let’s hear it then,” Ron said, unsurprised. He was dreading whatever was to come. He knew as soon as she asked for a number that there was going to be little chance of recovering. It’d only been a matter of time before he got busted. He’d hoped he’d have found a renewed devotion for Hermione before that could happen, but it hadn’t happened that way, and now it was too late.</p><p>“To start… I don’t want a divorce. It’s messy, it’s dramatic, it’s traumatic for the children, and the press would never leave us alone. I don’t want the attention.”</p><p>Ron was surprised. He’d thought this would be the “I hired a lawyer” conversation. “You don’t want a divorce?” he asked for clarification.</p><p>“Do you?” Hermione challenged.</p><p>Ron thought about that for a moment. “No, I don’t.” He frowned. “Hermione, you’re still my number one. You’re the only person I’ve ever loved.” Hermione laughed, surprising even herself with the response. She covered her mouth as several waves of laughter washed over her. Ron’s eyes narrowed in her direction. “I’m not joking, Hermione!”</p><p>Her laughter stopped in an instant. “Make no mistake, Ronald Weasley, this marriage is effectively over. I won’t be your number one knowing that there’s a two, and a three, and who knows how many after that.”</p><p>Ron swallowed his guilt. “But you said-”</p><p> </p><p>“I said I don’t want a divorce. I don’t want a public spectacle. Do you have any idea how close I am to making a real change in this community? There’s talk of me becoming the youngest female Minister of Magic in our country’s history. Does that mean anything to you?” He’d made it quite clear in November that it didn’t, in fact, mean anything to him. That was how she’d wound up drunk, bent over her own desk taking Draco in her arse like the godsend that he was.</p><p>“Of course it does…” Ron answered obligatorily. It meant something alright. It meant more late nights, less time with him, less time with the family, while she climbed the ladder of success and he fell behind. “So what then? We’re just going to keep living together, pretending to be a couple?”</p><p>Hermione drank deeply of her wine again. “We’re going to pretend our asses off,” she agreed. “We’ll follow our schedules. We’ll stay the same devoted parents we’ve always been. We’ll attend all family and business related functions together, no exceptions!” She gave him a stern look. He was always trying to worm his way out of attending Ministry functions, except for the DMLE related ones, of course. “And outside of the view of spectators you will not touch me, you will not kiss me, and you won’t even think of trying to shag me.” She couldn’t have felt more strongly about that last part. She finished off the wine in her glass. “Do you understand?”</p><p>Ron absorbed all of those demands, trying to decide if he should argue with any of them. “And if I don’t agree?”</p><p>Hermione's eyes narrowed at him. “Then I tell your mother.” It was a low blow, but she’d do it, if she had to. She hoped it didn’t come to that, because if that happened they might have no choice but to separate. It was one thing to live the lie, it was another thing to try to do it with their family knowing that she was tolerating his infidelity.</p><p>Ron was sure she meant that. “Anything else?” he asked bitterly.</p><p>“Yes, in fact,” Hermione was glad he’d asked. “I don’t care who you shag anymore. I don’t care if you and Brittany Dalton and Merlin knows how many other partners you have run around spreading any number of diseases between each other. But I don’t want to know about it. I don’t want to see them, I don’t want to smell them, I don’t want them BABYSITTING OUR CHILDREN! Not one of them is to step foot into this house, ever!” The thought that that little tramp had once actually voluntarily watched their kids for them so they could have a date night made her shake with rage. “What does that girl think is going to happen? She’s going to butter them up so that one day you can leave me for her and they’ll already be attached?”</p><p>“No!” Ron said defensively. “No, I was never going to leave you, Mione.”</p><p>“Does she know that?” Hermione didn’t wait for an answer. She sighed as she refilled her glass. “You shag whoever you want, but you keep your dick far away from me.”</p><p>“And you’ll shag whoever you want then?” Ron challenged this time.</p><p>Hermione chuckled as she finished off her wine and set the glass down slowly, aligning it directly in front of her on the table before looking back up across the table into Ron’s blue eyes. “You’re damn right.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This chapter was so satisfying to write I got it all done in one day. Please let me know what you think!</p>
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<a name="section0019"><h2>19. The Punishment Part 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hermione reports for the first of five days of her sentence to be served to Mister Malfoy.</p><p>Spanking, anal sex, mild choking, sex toy, anal creampie</p>
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</div>Ron went to bed early Sunday night, which was fine by Hermione, who had so much to think about that she knew sleep was unlikely. As satisfied as she felt by the way she’d laid down the law for Ron, she was disappointed, too. He was supposed to protest. He was supposed to say that he wanted to fix things, that he wanted to be with her and only her. That he was sorry, and that it would never happen again. Even if he was lying, he was supposed to at least say it. He never did, never even tried to. From what she could tell, he was more than satisfied to continue living by the terms she’d set, terms that were deliberately unreasonable. Terms she’d expected him to refuse. Her marriage truly was over.<p>It hurt her to know that Ron had been stepping out on her for so long without her having any clue. She felt so naive, assuming that Ron loved her as much now as he had when he married her over a decade ago, enough to be true to her even while she was busy, even while she was overwhelmed, and cranky, and, most devastatingly, pregnant. They still loved each other but somewhere along the way they’d stopped being in love with each other. She couldn’t help but blame herself. Clearly she wasn’t pretty enough, or skinny enough, or sexual enough, or just plain nice enough.</p><p>Maybe it really was her own fault that her marriage had failed. He must have expected her to be the perfect wife and mother that he witnessed growing up. Well, Hermione was no Molly Weasley, nor did she care to be. She loved Molly like she was her own mother, but the only similarities they had, as parents, was that they both loved their children with all her hearts. But Hermione had ambitions outside of the household, outside of cooking and cleaning and child-rearing. She had accomplished great things in the last decade, and she had so much more in place to change the wizarding community world-wide. Did that take attention away from her family? Unfortunately, yes, but that was part of why Hermione had been so quick to support Ron’s retirement from the DMLE. At least working at the shop he could spend more time with the kids, even when she couldn’t. She knew he wasn’t going to risk his life every time he went to work, and that she could trust that he would be home at night, though some nights later than others. </p><p>When at last she did make it to bed, Hermione tossed and turned with these thoughts plaguing her mind. It took a dreamless sleep potion to take consciousness from her and allow her to find sleep, and a large dose of caffeine the following morning to get her up and out the door.</p><p>Once at work, all Hermione could think about was whatever Draco had planned to do to her at lunch. He’d given Hermione strict orders that the final phase of her punishment would be played out all week long. By one in the afternoon she was to be in the flat, waiting naked for him in their bed. Their bed… The thought still made her smile. She was Draco’s now. It was still a lot to wrap her head around. Despite the failure of her marriage, she’d found a whole new source of happiness in her Slytherin alum lover.</p><p>She arrived at the flat with five minutes to spare, and carefully hung her clothes in the closet to keep them from getting too wrinkled. She sat on the bed, and self-consciousness flooded her. What position should she be in? Should she be laying with her head on the pillows? Sitting on the edge? She tried several options, before finally settling on her knees toward the foot of the bed, sitting on her heels with her hands on her lap. She took a deep breath as she heard the front door open.</p><p>Draco’s suit jacket had already been removed by the time he entered the bedroom, and he was in the process of removing his tie when he strutted into the bedroom. He paused at the sight of her, and a grin spread across his lips as he took in her appearance. It still amazed him that she didn’t see how beautiful she was. “My lioness…” he greeted her as he approached. He pulled her into a kiss, and she whimpered into his mouth. They rested foreheads for a moment when their lips parted. “How was last night?” It wasn’t a sexy topic, but he had to meet her where she was. It’d only been one day since she went home to Ron, and he wasn’t sure how it’d turned out.</p><p>“It was awful,” Hermione admitted, though she didn’t wish to go into details now. They only had an hour before they were expected back at the Ministry, and it was barely enough time to discuss everything that’d happened, much less find time to do whatever it was he planned to do to her very willing body. “But one good thing did come out of it,” she said, not wanting to dwell on those thoughts. She reached up and began to unbutton his shirt. </p><p>“Oh yeah?” Draco asked, sliding his tie out from his collar to discard on the bed beside her. He kissed her neck, eliciting a small moan from the witch while she tugged the tails of his shirt from his trousers. She was rather eager to get him undressed from what he could tell, and he appreciated the assistance. </p><p>“I told him that he’s no longer allowed to touch me,” she explained to him, reaching for his belt now. She didn’t want to talk about her marriage. “Which means that, for all intents and purposes, I belong to you now.” She bit her lip, curious to see how he’d receive this news. She believed he would see this as good news, but she couldn’t be sure.</p><p>Draco, for one, found this to be incredible news. He hated the idea of sharing her with her husband, never knowing whether or not she was still being intimate with the man. He certainly had no intention of asking. It didn’t matter now, because moving forward she was his. “That’s bloody good news,” he said to her, pushing her hands aside to drop his trousers and underwear in one. He stepped out of them and swiftly pushed Hermione onto her back.</p><p>Hermione laughed as her head hit the pillow behind her. She kissed him again as he settled his body on top of hers, and her arms and legs wrapped around him. “It is, isn’t it?” she asked playfully before kissing him more deeply. When one door closes, another one opens, right? And in her case the window that was opening was a twelfth floor full wall window overlooking London’s business district, which ironically did not open at all. Not too shabby, if she did say so herself.</p><p>The blonde moaned into her mouth, his fingers raking into her hair as his body rolled on top of her, his manhood growing hard against her stomach. She moaned and squirmed beneath him, wanting to feel him inside of her already. The clock was ticking, quite literally on an alarm set on her phone. “Aren’t you going to punish me, Mister Malfoy?” she cooed into his ear when his mouth moved to her neck, heading south toward her hard nipples.</p><p>Draco nipped the nipple he’d just begun sucking on at her suggestion. “Ah,” he said through his teeth, still tugging on the sensitive point. Hermione moaned and arched her back. He released. “That’s right. You are here for punishment, aren’t you?” He sucked extra hard on the twin tit.</p><p>Hermione moaned and nodded eagerly. “Yes,” she whimpered, her fingers threading into his silky platinum hair. “Yes, punish me Draco!” She deserved it. She was a failure as a wife, and by extension as a mother, which meant that she needed to make every second of her time with Malfoy count. It had to be worth everything she had to lose. She writhed against him, rubbing her wet opening against the length of his shaft in invitation.</p><p>Draco obliged, thrusting into her weeping entrance with ease. He took her arms and pressed them into the mattress on either side of her pillow, holding his weight up by his grip on her wrists as he worked into a harsh rhythm. Each thrust rocked her body, drawing a gasping moan from the woman beneath him. Draco watched her, her eyes closed tight, mouth hanging over as whimpered praises slipped through them, fingers clenching into fists and releasing again, leaving little crescent marks in her palm from where her nails dug in. She was completely lost in it already, and it was the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen.</p><p>“Harder,” Hermione groaned after a moment. She couldn’t help feeling like, despite the intensity of his work, the pleasure to pain ratio was wrong. “Hurt me, please!”</p><p>It didn’t occur to Draco that Hermione was truly seeking to punish herself, he just believed her to be in character. He leaned in and kissed her hard before withdrawing without warning and throwing her over onto her stomach. Before she had adjusted to her new place on the bed his hand clapped down on her left buttcheek. The room filled with a shockingly loud crack, paired immediately with her cry of surprise and pain. The spot where his hand met her backside began to redden with his handprint.</p><p>Hermione shouldn’t have been so surprised, she’d more or less asked for it, but the unexpected blow to her rear made her scream loudly. Her so recently abandoned cunt clenched fiercely, searching for the cock that had moments before been deep inside of it. “Fuck yes!” Hermione laughed as the burning sensation that she was coming to know well set in, tingling, stinging where his hand had met. “I want more!” It’d been hard to begin with, but she wondered how much more she could take, how much more he could give.</p><p>Draco, too, was curious as to where the line might be drawn. He let his hands smooth up and down the curve of her rounded arse, now pushed into the air for his viewing pleasure as Hermione settled onto her knees. He rubbed her slowly for a moment more before hitting her right cheek, harder than he had the first. Hermione screamed and laughed maniacally, the combination of pleasure and pain driving her temporarily mad. </p><p>He spanked her several more times, each landing on a different area, until her entire backside was covered in welted smarting handprints that were hardly distinguishable. When at last her body shook with overwhelmed sobs Draco drew her into a deep kiss, ensuring that she was alright. “Thank you Mister Malfoy,” she panted against his lips. Draco didn’t answer, instead he reached for his tie on the edge of the bed, which he wrapped around her neck. He pushed his cock deep home inside of her before pulling both ends of the tie held in each hand, drawing her head back until her chest thrusted forward and she was drawn upright. Draco reinforced his hold on the tie with one hand, the other pressing between her legs as he started moving in her anew. </p><p>Hermione hissed and winced as her violently abused backside, already growing purple in many places from his extreme treatment, crashed into his groin with each forward motion. The tie cutting into her jugular was just enough to put a noticeable strain on her breathing, making her mildly lightheaded as he drove into her. She reached one hand back to hold onto the back of his neck for support, the other going to her left breast to squeeze and play with it while his thumb teased her clit. “Fuck, oh Gods, Draco! I’m cumming!” she whimpered. “Don’t stop! Please don’t stop!” </p><p>Draco could feel the way her insides clamped down on him, claiming him, seeking to milk him. He wouldn’t let it, not yet, instead forcing his way through the constricted passage to ride her through her orgasm. “That’s my Lioness. Cum for me.” He rubbed her clit harder, faster, and withdrew from her suddenly, still applying rapid pressure to her pleasure point. She cried out as her orgasm exploded out of her, spraying onto the bed in front of her. </p><p>“Fuck my ass!” Hermione begged, her orgasm rolling over her in waves so intense she thought she might drown. She was happy to let it take her under.</p><p>Draco had been considering denying her this, as part of her punishment, but in that moment when he heard the words gasp out of her he couldn’t imagine not obliging her. He released the tie to free his hand, using it instead to guide himself deep into her unprepared exit. It took a few thrusts of his soaked cock to become fully consumed by her, and soon he bucked into her as savagely as he had her cunt moments ago. His hand, free again, wrapped around her neck, holding her tightly as he drove himself closer to the level of pleasure that still had Hermione crying out, her voice strained against his hold. </p><p>“Fucking hell!” He didn’t think he could stand it much longer. His dripping hand abandoned her core and he released her larynx. She fell instantly onto her front, barely reacting in time to catch herself on her forearms. He held onto her hips and drew her to him to double his efforts. He spread her cheeks with the base of his palms while his fingers dug into her hips, treating himself to one of his favorite views, his cock being repeatedly swallowed and regurgitated by her greedy asshole. “Ugh, that’s it,” Draco groaned. He slammed into her more erratically by the second. “You ready for it?” Draco asked her, as if she had any choice.</p><p>“Yes!” Hermione cried immediately, gripping the pillow with her nails. “Yes cum in my ass! Fill it! Please Mister Malfoy!” she answered eagerly.</p><p>Well, that was all Draco needed to hear. He pulled her to him one last time and held her in place against him, as deep in her as it was possible to be as he began to empty his balls into her. Suddenly the only sound in the room was their collective panting and aggressively beating hearts, which Hermione could swear was audible from where she hung, head resting against the mattress with her tits dangling down, finally growing still from being shaken so harshly for so long.</p><p>They stayed like that, unmoving, unspeaking, soaking in the euphoria of their mutual climax. Draco began to shrink down inside of her as his body returned to a relaxed state. He slipped out of her as he pulled back, holding her hips in place. “Stay just like that,” he instructed her. “Don’t let a drop out.”</p><p>Hermione felt the bed shift as he moved off of it, and she tried her hardest to keep his seed inside of her, arching her back so that her ass stuck out straight toward the ceiling. She focused on steadying her breathing as she waited, only a moment more, for his return. “Oh!” Hermione gasped in surprise as she felt a cold metal object against her cum-filled hole. “Oh Merlin…” She relaxed as he inserted the foreign object into her. The coolness of the tool, though startling at first, was rather soothing, and when it was fully inserted, Hermione knew she would be permitted to move again. She carefully rolled over onto her back, which she immediately regretted. She whimpered pitifully and rolled back onto her stomach, lying flat this time. The bed was wet, she realized from her own ejaculate, but she ignored it. She was too tired to care. </p><p>Though she couldn’t see him, she could feel his hands on her waist, and a moment later he was peppering the most gentle of kisses over the bruised and welted surface of her arse. “You’re going to keep this in for the rest of the afternoon,” Draco informed Hermione as he soothed the smarting skin.</p><p>“What?” Hermione pushed herself up on her forearms to look over her shoulder at him, eyes wide. “You can’t mean-”</p><p>“At work, yes. You’re going to spend the rest of the afternoon with my cum living deep inside your slutty little arse.” He kissed said arse one more time before moving off of the bed. Hermione moved, carefully, onto her jelly-like legs. </p><p>“You want me to-” Well he’d explained it rather thoroughly, hadn’t he? “Well, when can I take it out?” Not that she thought he’d be able to know even if she did cheat and take it out early, but that would defeat the purpose of letting him control her pleasure. And Merlin, he was so good at controlling her pleasure, controlling her body in every way imaginable.</p><p>Draco walked over to his lover and smoothed out her hair to the best of his ability without a hairbrush. She looked incredibly freshly fucked. Thankfully she had time to fix her appearance before returning to her office. “When you get home from work,” he told her. He put one arm around her middle, pulling her close to him. He tucked a lock behind her ear and wiped away some smudged eyeliner. There were tear stains in her makeup. She must not have thought to protect it that morning, must not have anticipated being fucked so hard her eyes would water.</p><p>Hermione looked up at Draco, awed. “But what if I have to-” She blushed. “Go?”</p><p>Draco laughed at her embarrassment. He was fully aware that even the sexiest and most beautiful of women did, in fact, have to go occasionally. “Try not to,” he challenged her. “Within reason, of course.” He picked up her chin with his thumb and forefinger and drew her in for the most tender of kisses. Hermione moaned softly against his lips.</p><p>“Right…” she whispered, mostly to herself. Draco left her then, going to gather his clothes. Having been discarded most unceremoniously, he performed a quick steaming charm on them, loosening the wrinkles from the expensive fabrics. He started to redress. “Wait, aren’t you going to help me? With the bruises?” She turned to try to get a peek at her backside, but it was hard to twist enough to get a good view.</p><p>Draco chuckled down at his feet as he stepped into his trousers. “Now what kind of punishment would that be?” He looked up at her again with a most familiar smirk. </p><p>Hermione’s jaw dropped, before she snapped it shut again. She stiffened. “Right,” she agreed. “Fair enough.” That was her true punishment, going through the rest of the day unable to sit in her own chair without a constant reminder of the orgasm-inducing spanking session she’d endured on her “lunch” break, not to mention the butt-plug stuffed firmly inside of her.</p><p>She spent the last few minutes of her break refreshing her appearance, fixing her hair, her makeup, and wiping the thin layer of sweat from her body with a warm wet cloth. Draco was in the kitchen fetching a much needed glass of water when she emerged from the bedroom, fully dressed and no longer looking like a witch who had just had several very intense climaxes. He refilled the glass and offered it to her. She took it gratefully, drinking half of the contents rather quickly before setting the glass in the sink. After a moment’s hesitation, she wrapped her arms around Draco’s neck in an unexpected but most necessary hug.</p><p>Draco’s arms wrapped tightly around her middle, pulling her body flush against his. “It’s okay,” Draco assured her. “Everything’s going to be alright, I promise.” How he could keep that promise he wasn’t entirely sure, but he knew that he’d do everything in his power to ensure that her life didn’t fall apart on account of him. She deserved that much.</p><p>Leaving the flat to return to work was as difficult as making it back to her office was proving to be. From the moment she stepped off the lift she was being pulled this way and that, being dragged into discussions, asked to look over new amendment drafts, and her assistant spent ten minutes rambling on and on about her weekend. All the while with every step Hermione took she could feel the small stainless steel plug sitting just inside her ass. It drove her mad. Finally she made it to her office, and without thinking Hermione plopped into her chair to get started on the stacks of paperwork awaiting her. “Son of a bitch!”</p><p>Hermione jumped when her office door flew open, and her assistant popped her head in, looking startled. “Everything okay Hermione?”</p><p>Hermione’s face flushed with embarrassment. “Yes, fine. Just a charley-horse,” she fibbed, leaning forward in her chair to take some of the pressure off her rear. She hoped it looked as though she was taking pressure off of a cramped calf instead. “Go on, don’t worry about me,” she waved her off dismissively, and when the door closed Hermione sighed and slowly lowered herself onto the overstuffed leather chair. Perhaps it was time to invest in a memory-foam cushion…</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Please forgive me for posting so late in the day. I work like 1,000 hours a week and it's been especially difficult to find time to sit down and write this chapter. That said please also forgive any spelling or grammatical errors, I've literally just finished writing this. Luckily I got it all done in more or less one shot. Hope you enjoyed this chapter of PURE SMUT, followed by a tiny bit of comedy at the end there, cause you know, sex can be funny too.</p>
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<a name="section0020"><h2>20. The Phone Call</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hermione makes it through the week of punishment, only to be faced with a greater challenge when she arrives home.</p><p>Fingering, oral sex</p>
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</div>Hermione willed herself to stick out her punishment. She made it through the rest of the afternoon with the hard toy wedge deep inside her, and only upon returning home did she make her way into the restroom, where she carefully extracted the toy. Never before had she found such relief in relieving herself, and as soon as she’d finished she got into the shower to properly clean herself at last. But even as she scrubbed herself with her black raspberry vanilla body wash, ridding her skin of the dried layer of whatever fluids remained from that afternoon’s excitement, she couldn’t help but smile.<p>Over the next couple of days Draco upped the intensity. Each afternoon he took her roughly, and at the end he took the same plug and sentenced her to carry his load for the rest of the work. What made it truly interesting was that each day he increased the object’s size, making the burden of holding it inside of her, sitting on it, walking with it between her legs, greater as each day went on. By Friday Hermione didn’t think she’d be able to make it through the day with the thing still inside of her. She was working late, as she did most Fridays, and just as she was preparing to leave she was surprised to find a visitor at her door. She’d thought for sure that she was the only person left on the floor, but she should have known he would still be in.</p><p>“What are you doing here?” Hermione asked as she looked up from a report she was carefully reading over, a slight smirk playing at her lips as she spotted him standing there in her doorway, looking as coy and mischievous as ever. </p><p>“I came to relieve you of your burden,” Draco announced, entering her office and closing the door behind him, he locked it as well, before striding toward her.</p><p>Hermione bit her lip as he approached, her heart beginning to beat faster the closer he came. Soon he was standing behind her chair, and she was determined to keep her eyes on the parchment in front of her. “Does that mean I’ve concluded my sentence?” She never would have guessed when she first asked him to punish her that it would result in a week long saga of extremely intense afternoon sex, which she didn’t regret for one second.</p><p>“I’d say it’s been served in full,” Draco agreed, placing his hands on her shoulders. Her skin burned hot under his touch, and when he swept her hair over one shoulder she felt goosebumps rise on her neck and arms. Until her involvement with Draco she hadn’t known a man could have such an effect, especially with such a simple gesture. He pressed a gentle kiss to the nape of her neck, and Hermione’s head fell to the side to allow it. The softest hum of appreciation escaped her. “Stand up.”</p><p>It was barely an order, and yet Hermione dropped her quill and rose without argument. She could hear the chair roll away from behind her, and felt his body press into her back instead. His hands roamed down her waist to the hem of her dress, which his fingertips slipped just beneath and began to draw up the stiff material, pulling the dress skirt up until it popped up over the widest part of her hips, and resided in a crumpled mess around her waist. Like her arms and neck, goosebumps grew over her newly exposed legs. Hermione reached forward to support her weight on the edge of her desk, and whimpered as her knickers began to slide down next.</p><p>“Oh Gods!” Hermione gasped out when the stainless steel object was jerked suddenly, still inside of her. Draco pulled on it slowly, and her opening reluctantly stretched to permit it’s leave, only to have it shoved back inside of her instead.</p><p>“Have you been enjoying having your ass properly stuffed all week?” Draco growled into her ear in a way that caused her knees to quake. </p><p>Hermione swallowed a dry lump in her throat. “Yes,” she croaked out. The plug was still being teasingly tugged and reinserted, never quite making its exit. It made her cunt drip with the expectation of being plowed into, as though it hadn’t gotten its fill at lunchtime. The truth was she’d never had so many orgasms in one week. She was exhausted, but never too tired for more. She would always want more of him.</p><p>“Good.” Draco pushed the toy firmly back into place inside of her as he kissed up and down the length of her neck across what was exposed of her shoulder. “Turn around Lioness…” Ever obedient, she turned to face him, resting the shelf of her backside on the edge of the desk behind her. Draco took another step toward her, closing the distance between them as he drew her into a tender kiss.</p><p>Letting one foot escape her panties, Hermione spread her legs to accept him. She leaned back on her desk as best as she could with the hard object still wedged within her anal cavity. “I thought you were going to take it?” Hermione expressed her confusion as her lips parted from his.</p><p>“I will,” Draco promised, and kissed her again. He let two fingers find the wetness between her legs, which he spread up and down her slit, before dipping the fingers into her eager cunt. “Are you ever not wet?” Draco asked in amusement, fingering her steadily.</p><p>Hermione moaned and kissed her way across his jaw to nibble on his earlobe. “Of course,” she agreed. “Just not when you’re in the room.” She moaned louder as his thumb began rubbing circles against her clit. “Oh, yes,” she said softly and met his lips once more. The two lost themselves, tongues dancing in sync as they enjoyed the simplicity of a good snog, but soon Draco’s fingers had worked up a pace that Hermione couldn’t take quietly, and she broke her lips from his with a loud groan. She leaned back a bit more.</p><p>Draco could feel the teardrop shaped object through the thin layer of tissue separating her two passages, pressing her already tight cunt shut against his fingers as he moved them in and out of her rapidly, curling to aim it’s assault at her g-spot. “I thought you said you didn’t think you could take any more,” Draco teased, recalling after their lunchtime shag that she’d begged for surrender, stating that she didn’t think she could handle any more sex for at least a few days. And yet here she was, her soaking wet pussy working to milk his fingers and her making no protest against the efforts.</p><p>“I can’t- Mmm!” She moaned and rolled her hips against his hand. “Ugh, Draco!” She was going falling over the edge of climax for at least the fourth time that day alone. She hadn’t realized she was capable of multiple orgasms until recently. She always thought that it was something only some girls could achieve, now she realized it was something only some men could achieve for them. </p><p>In appreciation for her willingness to let him pleasure her yet again, Draco upped his intensity, making the most of what would be her final climax of the week. He’d need to tide her over through the weekend, after all. Hermione cried out, reaching for his arm with one hand, squeezing it in desperation for it to end. “I can’t- fuck!” </p><p>Just then a tinny musical tone filled the room, and it was a moment before Hermione fought through the haze of pleasure to recognize it as her mobile. She released Draco’s arm to instead dig through her purse for the vibrating, ringing object. Her fingers finally closed around it, and she pulled it out to look at the screen. She groaned. “Ugh, it’s Ron,” she said, and pushed Draco away slightly so that she could get her wits out her, still coming down from her climax.</p><p>“Hello?” Hermione answered, trying not to sound freshly shagged.</p><p>“Hey, when are you going to be home?” he asked her, trying not to sound like he was ordering her to come home. He knew she tended to work later on the odd days of the week.</p><p>Hermione sighed, and didn’t notice that Draco had dropped to his knees before her. “I’ve still got-” She held in a gasp as Draco’s tongue began to lick away at the mess made of her core. She paused a moment until she was sure she could speak without moaning. “I’ve still got one more report that needs to be reviewed by morning. I should be finished-” Her breath caught as he tongue moved inside of her, wiggling within her cunt teasingly. “Within the hour,” she choked out.</p><p>“I”m sorry, am I interrupting something?” Ron asked, annoyed. She was apparently not doing as good a job at hiding her distraction as she’d hoped.</p><p>“What?” Hermione asked innocently. “No, I was just… Running. I was down the hall when I heard my phone,” she lied quickly.</p><p>“Right…” Ron wasn’t sure he believed her, but he chose not to push the matter. “Well anyway, please come home sooner rather than later.”</p><p>Hermione’s fingers tangled into Draco’s hair between her legs, and she gripped it tightly in warning. “I’ll be back as quickly as I can,” she told him, a little annoyed now. “I’m sure miss Dalton can wait another hour to be sexually harassed.”</p><p>“I’m not- She’s not ev-” Hermione didn’t stay on the line to hear what Miss Dalton wasn’t. She hung up and turned her eyes downward to see Draco staring up at her, his mouth buried deep in her cunt, cleaning up the mess he’d created.</p><p>“You’re the devil, Mister Malfoy,” Hermione told Draco appreciatively, watching him worship her core. It felt wonderful after such rough fingering. He moved his mouth to suck on her clit, and Hermione quickly pulled him away by his hair. “Don’t you dare!” The cocky grin he offered made her laugh. “I can’t do it.” She released his hair. It was one thing for him to clean up his own mess, but she didn’t need him creating a new one.</p><p>Draco reached up and carefully gripped the gemstone adorned tip of the plug, and without warning or ceremony, ripped it from within her. That afternoon’s load fell out of her immediately creating a mess on her floor.</p><p>“Fuck, Draco!” she scolded him for the sudden extraction. She hadn’t been ready, and for half a second thought she might mess as her arse set to shrinking down to its usual tightness. “You’re the worst!”</p><p>Draco ignored her offense, using his wand to clean the mess from her floor before he could get yelled at for that as well. He cleaned the toy next. “You’re not so innocent yourself,” Draco informed her as he moved back onto his feet, holding out the now shiny and sanitary tool for her to see. It was significantly larger in both length and girth than it’d been on Monday. At its widest point, it was the largest thing she’d ever had inside of her. Hermione looked up at him with a thin smile. “Running from down the hall?” Draco chastised playfully. Hermione shrugged, shameless regarding her lie. Draco looked down at his trousers, which were tented with his appreciation for the sounds she made for him, moreso knowing that the oaf on the phone with her had had to overhear her resistance to his efforts. “Help a bloke out at least?”</p><p>Hermione bit her lip, considering the request. “I don’t know…”</p><p>“Lioness…” Draco growled in warning. It’d sounded like a request, but denying his release could lead to all new consequences. Her bruises had only just started to heal from Monday.  </p><p>“Oh alright,” Hermione conceded, rolling her eyes. “I suppose I could.” Draco took a couple steps back, and, after fixing her knickers and dress, Hermione moved onto her knees before him. By that time he’d taken the initiative to remove his hardness from the confines of his pants. His cock stood out proudly before her, and she licked her lips before meeting Draco’s eyes through her lashes and taking his delicate tip into her mouth.</p><p>“That’s a good girl,” Draco commented, watching her small hand wrap around the base of his shaft as her head bobbed, mouth taking in more and more of his length as her throat coated him in a helpful layer of lubricant. He kept his hands to himself, letting her work as she saw fit without the added pressure of his guidance. She didn’t need it, she was quite skilled at the task.</p><p>Hermione enjoyed performing oral. As a teen she’d thought it was disgusting, and that only the slaggiest of girls were willing to lower themselves to actually put a bloke’s prick in her mouth, but she learned from experience that she was wrong. It was empowering, being in a position to provide such distinct pleasure for a partner, who was placing themselves in the vulnerable position of having their most prized possession between two rows of very capable teeth. She learned over time what made her man’s knees give, what sent jolts of pleasure up their shaft and into their bullocks, and what made even the most talkative man lose his words. </p><p>She knew what Draco liked, what Draco loved, and what Draco couldn’t handle for more than seconds at a time. She swallowed his full length, using both hands to pull him closer to her so that her nose pressed against his groin, unable to fit more of him. Her throat was relaxed, accepting the excessive length, and she moaned, sending vibrations through his cock into his balls.</p><p>Draco swore as his knees shook, and he reached up to grab onto the filing cabinet next to him for added support. “Fucking witch…” he groaned as if in complaint. </p><p>Hermione smirked as she released, feeling every inch of his cock as it quickly exited her mouth. She gasped as she was finally free to take a full breath, and smirked up at Draco victoriously. She used two hands on him now, one stroking the length, the other focusing on just the head. With a firm grip she stroked it in a twisting motion, popping over the edge each time. He jerked involuntarily each time she did it, and she equated it to the feeling of having her clit rubbed in the way that always had her pushing his hand away. The intensity was too much, and she could tell that Draco was resisting telling her so, so she swallowed it again, just the head, sucking on it playfully while one hand stroked his length, and the other massaged his balls. </p><p>“I want you to swallow it,” Draco told her, not referring to his cock, she knew, but the milky cum he was about to feed her. Hermione moaned and nodded, not letting the announcement interrupt her work. She knew it was coming, and switched to a quick, deep bobbing motion, sucking hard on his cock as though her mouth were her greedy cunt, milking him as it often did. It did the job, and she heard him groaning, grunting, ready. When his hand fell into her hair, gripping her roots tightly, she knew. She withdrew and laid the head of his cock on her tongue, stroking his length hard as several streams of hot cum shot into her mouth, the bulk of it landing on her tongue for him to see. Only when his grip on her roots released and she knew he was finished did she make a show of swallowing it down, before licking her lips and wiping the excess saliva from her chin.</p><p>She sniffed deeply as she rose to her feet, the act always causing her nose to run ever so slightly. “I’d better get back to my report,” Hermione told Draco with a cocky smile, feeling slightly drunk from her job well done.</p><p>“Right,” Draco agreed, smirking back at her as he fixed up his pants. “And I’ve gotta get home. The misses is trying her hand at cooking again, and I’ll never hear the end of it if I’m not there while it’s still hot.”</p><p>Hermione felt her stomach turn at the mention of his wife. It wasn’t the same guilt she used to feel, not like when she was cheating on Ron. Draco wasn’t cheating on Astoria. She had no reason to feel bad about sleeping with the woman’s husband. But the reminder that he had a wife and child at home waiting for him still stung, a reminder that even if she were to leave Ron, Draco still wouldn’t be hers. Not really. “Right,” she answered. She pulled her chair back into place and picked up the toy that sat on top of her report. “I believe this is yours,” she said, blushing slightly at the knowledge that the object had spent a portion of each of the past five days firmly inserted in her arse.</p><p>Draco took the object from her and with a flourish of his hand it vanished from sight. “Goodnight my Lioness,” he said to her, and kissed her with a reluctance to retreat. </p><p>Hermione let the kiss linger, no more eager to see him leave than him. “Have a good weekend,” she said to him finally, sitting down in her chair and forcing her attention back onto her work. She did look up from her desk in time to see him go for the door. “Tell Astoria I said hello,” she joked with a smirk.</p><p>Draco laughed. “I absolutely will not,” he told her. Hermione underestimated just how cat-like his wife could be, petty and grudge-holding. She took Hermione’s return to Draco as a personal offense, which amused Draco greatly. </p><p>Concentrating on her work was much easier with the knowledge that Draco was no longer in the building, and she was able to make her final corrections and submit the paperwork for the Minister to review for signing. She swelled slightly with excitement and pride as she carried the documents to the Minister’s assistant’s desk. She was quite sure that she had the Minister’s vote on the law being proposed, which would make it illegal for any business or organization to refuse service or participation based on an individual’s race, sexual orientation, gender identity, or blood status, something that the magical community was severely behind on, even still. It would mean the disbanding of blood elitist clubs and organizations across the nation. </p><p>She dropped them directly in the center of the neat and tidy desktop so that they’d be the first thing seen on Monday morning, and at long last made for the lifts to the atrium, where she flooed home. </p><p>Hermione didn’t expect, upon arriving home, that Ron would be waiting for her, and she was even less prepared for the kiss he greeted her with. “What do you think you’re-”</p><p>“Is that Hermione?” Molly’s voice came from the dining room. Hermione’s eyes went wide.</p><p>“Well it’s about time. She works far too much, don’t you think?” Mrs Granger’s voice came next. </p><p>Hermione swore under her breath. “Dinner with the parents,” she whispered. “I completely forgot.”</p><p>“Yeah no shite,” Ron snapped in a hushed tone, taking her cloak and hanging it up for her. “They’ve been here almost an hour.”</p><p>“I’m sorry!” Hermione told him, and meant it. She straightened herself out, feeling strangely as if the fact that she’d recently been engaged in illicit sexual affairs with another man would be visible, which was ridiculous of course. She’d checked her mirror before leaving her office. Making their way into the dining room, Hermione greeted all four parents with hugs and cheek kisses, before immediately reaching for the bottle of wine that had already been opened while they’d been waiting for her. “Sorry I’m late, but you wouldn’t believe what I got finished today.” While the food on the table was served (she suspected Molly brought it with her) Hermione launched into a story of the new law that she’d been working on for the last several months, along with what brought the need to her attention. </p><p>Ron drank his wine and ate his food, pretending to be interested in his wife’s accomplishments. At least now he was allowed to pretend.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>not gonna lie I did not proof this chapter after writing it in one sitting. Hope you enjoyed more smut because there is drama to come!</p>
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<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Temptation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hermione has to make it through the first of many family gatherings to come in the aftermath of her and Ron's status. Meanwhile, Draco is forced to make a choice between his wife and his lover.</p>
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</div>Dinner with their parents, it was something they’d planned two weeks prior, back before Hermione knew that her husband was a liar and a cheat. She must have forgotten to put it on her schedule, which she checked several times a day to keep her affairs, and her affair, in order. Getting through the evening was not as painful as she liked to believe it was. They made conversation easily enough. The six of them each had plenty to talk about, and for the later part of the evening they discussed party plans over pudding and tea. <p>Hermione had never considered how stupid it was to celebrate a thirty-first birthday until it was her husband’s, which was coming up that Tuesday, the first of March. They agreed on a Friday evening family dinner at the Burrow, which was easy enough because Hermione could rest assured that their mothers would do most of the work in making it happen, but it did mean that she had to cut her work hours short to be home in time to get ready for the party. This, unfortunately, also meant that there would be no late evening rendezvous with her lover in her office after the department had cleared out for the weekend. Instead she’d taken a long lunch and allowed him to both worship and destroy her body for a solid sixty minutes.</p><p>It was another evening of make-believe and wine, which aided in her ability to act as though she loved the man they celebrated. At one point of the evening Hermione stood outside, despite the cold, staring up at the stars and sipping her fifth glass of wine. Ginny joined her, a cup of hot butterbeer in hand. </p><p>“Hey, Ginny,” Hermione said as she joined her, forcing a smile.</p><p>“What’s up with you?” Ginny wasn’t one to beat around the bush. She wasn’t oblivious to the fact that there were problems in her youngest older brother’s marriage, nor that he was one of those problems, but it made her sad to see all the same. Hermione wasn’t just her in-law, she was also one of her closest friends. “Are you and Ron fighting again?”</p><p>Hermione scoffed toward the sky, shaking her head as she sipped her wine again. “Fighting would require talking.” She probably wouldn’t have said it if she hadn’t had so much to drink, but she was a full bottle in, and she knew Ginny would understand, at least to a degree. She was the only one in the family who wasn’t under the impression that they were still perfectly in love.</p><p>Ginny looked at Hermione in surprise. “Oh boy…” She’d heard it said that healthy relationships have fighting, but when the fighting stops altogether there’s almost no recovering. “He’s not still upset about your promotion? That was months ago!” He wouldn’t keep holding each of her accomplishments against her, would he?</p><p>“He thinks I’m… mean.” She looked over at Ginny, frowning slightly. “Do you think I’m mean to him, Gin?” Maybe lately, but that was because she’d spent the last two weeks wondering how many nights he’d shagged another woman only to come home and shag her too.</p><p>“No more than you’ve always been,” Ginny answered honestly. After a moment of shocked silence, Hermione laughed, joined in by Ginny. “What I mean is, there’s always been a certain level of bickering between the two of you. It’s what created the tension that pushed you two together.”</p><p>Hermione considered that, swirling the deep red liquid in her glass and watching the legs drip back down slowly. “What if that tension wasn’t what we thought it was? What if it wasn’t a sign that we should be together, but a sign that we shouldn’t?” She’d been thinking about that more and more lately. About whether they should have ended it a long time ago, never gotten married at all. It pained her to think that, because then she wouldn’t have her two beautiful children, and she loved them more than anything.</p><p>Ginny watched Hermione with a frown. She could tell that Hermione had been giving this a great deal of thought, which saddened her. “I don’t believe that’s true,” she attempted to encourage her. “You two have always been drawn to each other.” It had been as obvious as her own pairing with Harry, which while not based on a foundation of bickering and heat, had been a fairly obvious magnetism as well, even if it had taken her dating a few other guys for Harry to pick up on it. Ginny sighed. “You two have been married over over ten years now. You’re bound to see highs and lows in your marriage. It’s inevitable.”</p><p>“Do you and Harry have lows like this?” Hermione challenged doubtfully. “Have you ever gone days without speaking a single word to each other?”</p><p>Ginny frowned again. “No, not quite. But we have our problems too. I used to be away a lot and it was really hard on us. I still travel quite a lot now for work, and sometimes Harry gets upset about it. The kids are a lot for him to handle on his own.” Three against one was not easy for any father.</p><p>Hermione thought that was fair, kind of. Ginny’s journalism career did have her traveling quite a bit, but it was nothing compared to being on the team herself. For comradery sake the women were encouraged to stay together when traveling throughout the season. Apparating home to their respective partners was seens as a lack of commitment, something Harry hadn’t always been as forgiving about as he could have been.</p><p>“Yeah, but you two worked through that,” Hermione pointed out. “I don’t know if Ron and I can work through this.” More troubling, she didn’t think she wanted to. It’d been two weeks, and all Hermione could think of was how she wished she didn’t have to be married to him anymore. She couldn’t tell Ginny that of course.</p><p>“What is it you two can’t work through?” Ginny attempted to pry. If it wasn’t petty career related jealousy, what could it be?</p><p>Hermione drank while she considered her answer. “You know that tall skinny blonde he and George have working for them at the shop? The one in London?” They had multiple locations now, and she wished he’d work one of the others.</p><p>“Yeah?” Ginny answered, her heart giving a sudden nervous leap. Why would Hermione bring her up? In what way was the teen employee relevant to Hermione’s damaged relationship?</p><p>“Well he-” Hermione wanted to say it, it was on the tip of her tongue. She wanted to so badly it hurt, but she recognized that the desire to do so was selfish. She couldn’t plague Ginny with that knowledge, forcing her to keep it to herself. Hermione sighed and sipped her wine to resist the urge to cry. “Nevermind…” She finished the contents of her glass and moved to head back inside.</p><p>“Hermione, what-”</p><p> </p><p>“Forget it,” Hermione spoke with finality as she passed through the door. She dropped the empty wine glass off in the sink before heading upstairs to collect herself in the loo, feeling the tears burning painfully again. She’d cried a lot in the last fortnight.</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile at the Malfoy residence, Mrs. Malfoy had been indulging in something from the liquor cabinet as well. Draco had offered to see Scorpius bathed and put to bed, and when he’d done so he returned to their bedroom to find Astoria lying in the middle of the bed, dressed in a sheer lavender babydoll nightie, matching thong and all. She awaited him with one arm bent under her head, the other low on her stomach, fingertips teasing under the waistband of her teensy undergarment. </p><p>Draco froze at the sight of her. The last time she’d dressed like that for him had been while they were attempting to conceive Scorpius. It was startling, not only because of the surprise, but because of how he responded to it. His mouth went dry, and he swallowed a lump that had suddenly formed in his throat. He tore his eyes away from her, moving toward his closet instead, where he began to undress for the evening and put his clothes away to be laundered. “What are you doing?” he asked without looking at her.</p><p>“Draco…” Astoria purred. “I just thought you and I were a bit overdue for some, you know, marital relations.” The slur to her voice was offputting, and Draco looked over his shoulder at her quickly.</p><p>“Are you pissed?” It was the only logical explanation for her invitation. She was doing a poor job, lately, at disguising her displeasure in his choice of partner. He wasn’t sure why it bothered her so bloody much. She shagged married women all the time. Why was it different? Because she was a girl? Because for those women it was just good naughty fun, and if the husbands ever found out they’d be more turned on than angry? A double standard is what it was.</p><p>“Of course not,” Astoria denied, turning her body towards him. She moved onto her stomach, propping her elbows on the mattress and her chin in her hands. This served to force her breasts together in his direction, allowing him a perfect view of her cleavage. Astoria had unusually large breasts for a woman of her frame, and he’d suspected for years that she’d been enhancing them. </p><p>Draco took a deep, steadying breath. “You just thought that after three years, now would be a good time for some marital relations?” he questioned. She was horizontal across the bed, preventing him from getting in without being far too close to her and her quite unbelievable attempts to persuade him. He went instead into the bathroom to get away from her.</p><p>“Well I certainly don’t see why not,” Astoria reasoned after him. She moved off of the bed and followed him into the bathroom, where she wrapped her arms around him from behind, completely unphased by him relieving himself, and let her small hands slide up his abs to his chest. “Come on, Draco… You wanted me not long ago, don’t you remember?” As she spoke she heard his stream end, and let her hands move south again, aiming for the contents of his boxers. Draco jumped, startled, and caught her wrists before she could make it beneath the waistband. </p><p>“The fuck, Sto?” He turned around, looking at her like he didn’t know her. “Yes, I remember,” he bit back his annoyance in saying. “I remember you wanting nothing to do with it.” She thought she could just throw herself at him, now, after all this time? Now when he had actually found someone in his life who made him happy? </p><p>Astoria pouted as he turned to face her, and placed her hands on his chest again, this time unmoving. “Well, I changed my mind,” she stated simply, reminding Draco that she was just another spoiled rich girl. But hell, she was wearing that deep lip shade he loved on her, making her already quite fair skin pale in contrast.</p><p>“You changed your mind?” Draco mocked. He would have liked to push her away and go sleep on the couch, but a part of him, a part he’d been trying very hard to push down for three years, would do anything to get back what he’d had with her all that time ago, when they’d first fallen in love, when they’d first decided to marry not because their parents wanted them to, but because they wanted to.</p><p>“Well… Yeah… I miss you, Draco.” She stared up at him, looking genuinely sad. Draco could hardly stand it. It took great effort to step away from her to go wash his hands and begin his nighttime routine. </p><p>“Yeah, well I missed you too, for a long time, but you never cared then. Why should I care now?” He didn’t want to be mean, but maybe he could make her feel a dose of what he’d been feeling since their son was born.</p><p>Astoria let out a huff, in disbelief that her seduction was going so poorly. “Because it’s me Draco!” she explained. “Because I always enjoyed being with you, and I’m pretty sure you enjoyed me too.” Their sex had been fantastic for the first year or so that they were a couple. It was largely why she’d married him. If she had to shag a man for the rest of her life at least he was good at it. </p><p>Draco turned to look at his wife, his beautiful, fierce, vain, selfish wife. His feelings were mixed. She was his wife, he was supposed to want to be with her, he was supposed to feel allowed to be with her. But he didn’t feel allowed. He felt like she was the temptress, like she was the one trying to trick him into being disloyal. “This isn’t what we agreed on,” he said by means of validating his rejection of her.</p><p>“We agreed to love each other,” Astoria pointed out, referring to their vows rather than the arrangement they’d made a year later. “Always, til death.” She pressed herself against him, brought her hands up his chest to hold onto his neck gently. “Please?” She locked her eyes with him, imploring him to heed her request. Draco’s eyes closed, unable to look at her when she was looking at him like that. She took advantage of this moment of weakness and leaned up on her toes, capturing his lips in a kiss much deeper than the obligatory peck they shared nightly.</p><p>The kiss broke him, and Draco’s arms went around her. He lifted her lithe form easily and carried her onto the bed, which hadn’t seen action like this since they learned she was finally pregnant. He was only a man, and he’d wanted this for so long, he felt like a fool trying to turn her away. </p><p>Draco’s tongue fought with hers for a long while, dominating her, expressing years of pent up frustration, bitterness, longing. His hands roamed her body, touching every inch as he’d not been permitted for ages. She felt the same, she tasted the same, it was all so familiar. Her mouth moved to his neck, and his head fell back. She rolled them over and Draco’s head hit the pillow, her pillow. </p><p>Astoria ground her body against him, reaching into his boxers while she kissed his chest and shoulders, leaving deep purple prints from her lip shade. She moaned against him as her hand closed around his shaft, which was still at the beginning stages of growth. She stroked him eagerly, reveling in the groan that escaped him. She kissed her way back to his lips. “Let’s make another baby,” she whispered into the kiss like a naughty secret. </p><p>It wasn’t exactly the kind of dirty talk he was used to, but the idea was appealing all the same, given how she’d sworn for so long that she was never going through that again. He’d wanted Scorpius to have a sibling, but had known better than to bring it up to her, especially after she confessed her sexual preference to him. Draco’s hands moved onto her hips, where he smoothed them down over the petite rounds of her backside. He didn’t comment, instead letting her work him with her hand, which was proving slower than usual.</p><p>Before he knew it Astoria was moving down his body, kissing a trail down his chest to the waistband of his boxers, which she pulled down his hips with his aid. In all the time they’d been involved, sexually, she’d never shown any interest in going down on him, and always seemed to do so grudgingly, or used the act as a way to earn a favor or reward of some sort. The fact that she was taking him into her mouth now was shocking. He looked down the length of his body toward her, to find her staring intently up at him, his cock hardening full between her lips. “Sto, fuck…” Despite her amateur attempt at sucking on his cock, her warm wet mouth still felt amazing, and it was a literal dream come true. How many times he’d woken up with morning wood pressed into his unsuspecting, sleeping wife while his mind invented this very imagery…</p><p>It felt good, but it also felt wrong, and there was a nagging in the back of his mind. For the first time he felt as though he was cheating. All he could think about was that if Hermione ever found out that he’d shagged Astoria she’d be crushed, and Draco couldn’t stand that idea. He couldn’t do that to her. He wouldn’t. Draco fought every instinct telling him to let her pleasure him as she’d refused to do for years. He pulled away from her. “Astoria, stop,” he told her, moving to sit up against the headboard. </p><p>She looked up at him in shock as his cock popped out of her mouth, abandoning her while she performed the one act she’d sworn she’d never perform again. The audacity! “Are you fucking joking?” she asked him, moving to sit upright on her knees. “You’re fucking joking,” she repeated, this time in demand.</p><p>“I can’t do this,” Draco told her plainly. “I’m sorry, I don’t want this.” He was surprised by how truthfully the words came out.</p><p>Astoria’s jaw dropped, and she shut it again quickly. “This is about her, isn’t it?” she accused angrily. “Granger. You’d actually rather be with that-”</p><p>“Watch what you say next!” Draco interrupted in warning. He wasn’t sure what word she’d been about to use to describe her, but he was positive it would be derogatory in one way or another. What had existed of his erection faded again quickly, but also painfully. “You have no business caring what she and I-” </p><p>It was Astoria’s turn to interrupt. “No business? I am your wife!” she shrieked, moving off the bed, as though she was the one calling it off. “And she’s someone else’s. You’re the one with no business getting in the middle of their-”</p><p>“Not that it’s any of your business, but he’s fucking around on her, alright? For a hell of a lot longer than I’ve been seeing her. She’s made up her mind, and so have I!” Draco announced angrily.</p><p>“Oh have you now? So what’s that? You saying you’re leaving? That you’re both just going to abandon your children and run away together?”</p><p>“No!” Draco growled. “Of course not! I would never do that to Scorpius!” The fact that she even had the nerve to suggest such a thing infuriated him. </p><p>“So what’s the plan, Draco?” She crossed her arms over her chest, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for his explanation. </p><p>“The plan, if you must know, is to do exactly what we’re already doing. She stays married, we stay married. He fucks whoever he wants, you fuck whoever you want, and she and I-” He moved out of the bed as well, no longer caring to share it with her for the night. “We take whatever time together we can get.”</p><p>“Where are you going?” He moved past her, and she watched him exit the room, appalled. “Draco!?”</p><p>“The couch!” The door slammed in his wake, startling the witch. That hadn’t gone remotely how she’d hoped, and she’d put his dick in her mouth and everything!</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well it's midnight here on New York time so I decided why wait!? Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Things are getting juicy as relationships start to crumble all around! As always please comment and let me know what you think!</p><p>Unless you're just going to comment about how evil Hermione and Draco are for their affair. Legit can't stand to have that conversation again. I. Don't. Write. Healthy. People. You're either here for it or you aren't, kay?</p>
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<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Wallpaper</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Draco gives in to the convenience of technology, and Hermione begins to realize that there's more to sex that she could have realized.</p>
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</div><i>'Alright you ruddy witch, I got a mobile. Are you happy?' </i>The unexpected text dinged Hermione's phone late Saturday evening while Hermione was cleaning up from dinner, immediately spreading a smile onto her lips.<p>She leaned her elbows on the kitchen counter as she replied. <i>'About time. How long did it take you to write that text?'</i> She couldn't help but tease him, and for a very first text message it was written perfectly, leading her to believe it probably took some time to type up, and it was past business hours, so he'd likely purchased it hours ago. </p><p>She watched and after a minute she could see dots flowing on her screen, telling her that he was writing his response. The dots stopped, disappeared, and came back several times before the words <i>'Just ducking call me'</i> appeared. Hermione couldn't help but laugh out loud, and was still laughing as she brought the phone to her ear, hearing it ring twice before he answered.</p><p>"My struggle amuses you does it?" He asked, hearing the mirth in her voice just upon hello. </p><p>"It really does," Hermione told him shamelessly. She pressed the phone between her ear and shoulder as she resumed scrubbing the dirty dishes in her sink. "So can I ask what possessed you to conform to such a horrendously muggle practice?"</p><p>"And here I thought it'd be obvious," Draco answered.  </p><p>Hermione chuckled to herself quietly. "I suppose it is less conspicuous than an owl." </p><p>"Most definitely," Draco agreed.</p><p>After a moment of scrubbing a stubborn pan she dried off her hands and cast a series of cleaning spells she'd learned from Molly to set the dishes cleaning themselves.</p><p>It was partway into April now, and Hermione's world was falling into a new sense of normal, which seemed to be ever evolving. Draco acquiring a telephone was certainly a new evolutionary stage.</p><p>"So guess where I am right now," Draco posed with a smirk she could hear in his voice.</p><p>Hermione didn't need to guess, the fact that he was asking at all told her the answer, plus she was rather certain he wouldn't be speaking to her on a cell phone in the same place his wife was. "And just what are you doing there?" Hermione asked him instead as she turned to lean her back against the kitchen island. </p><p>"Waiting for you to put the kids to bed so that you can join me," Draco replied by means of invitation.</p><p>"Oh really?" Hermione's heart gave an excited leap, and her nether region clenched likewise. She hadn't been alone with Draco since Monday afternoon, both of their schedules rather busy lately, and she couldn't deny that she missed both his company and his talent. "He's just giving them their bath now. I can probably have them both asleep in an hour." She ran over the bedtime checklist in her head. Bath, pajamas, teeth, potty time, story time, and the inevitable second story for Rose once Hugo was down. </p><p>"An hour, huh? And how early will you have to be back to see them up in the morning?" Scorpius was like his mother and preferred to sleep in, but Draco had a suspicion that Hermione's children were the exact opposite, early risers like their own mum. </p><p>"Oh, a sleepover huh?" She asked, lowering her voice for discretion. "I think I can push it until at least seven," she bargained.</p><p>"Seven, huh? So by my calculation that gives me nine or ten hours to make up for almost a week of letting you go untouched."</p><p>Hermione let out a soft moan-like hum. "I'll be there as soon as I can."</p><p>"I know you will, my Lioness."</p><p>While Ron remained tasked with getting Hugo to let him get his hair wet to be washed, Hermione hurried to find something to wear. She'd had a quiet day at home, keeping it casually in a pair of jeans and a simple t-shirt the kids had decorated for her one day at Gammy's house. Bless Molly for encouraging creativity in the children, because it was not Hermione's cup of tea, but it was not exactly the alluring attire she wished to present Draco with.</p><p>She located, instead, a black wrap-dress, which had suited her well over the years, flexible to the fluctuation in her weight. After slipping into some extra sexy lingerie that until that night still had its tags on, she tied the dress tighter than usual, and picked out a simple pair of black heels with a gold pointed toe. She made quick work of some eyeliner and mascara, not wanting to overdo it, and no sooner was she screwing the cap to her mascara back into place did Rosie call for her to read to her. </p><p>“Are you going to a party, mum?” Rose asked her when she entered her daughter’s room, where Ron was tucking her into the bed. Ron turned his head to look at her, and his eyes went wide, and then rolled in annoyance. He returned to the little girl, pulling her blanket up to her shoulders.</p><p>“No,” Hermione said with a laugh, as though that was a silly suggestion. “Just out with some friends,” she answered, almost honestly. She sat down on the edge of the twin sized bed. </p><p>“With Aunt Ginny?” Rosie guessed enthusiastically.</p><p>“Aunt Ginny isn’t my only friend,” Hermione pointed out, though she wondered if that was entirely true. She was the only girlfriend she ever spent any time with, anymore.</p><p>“Oh, okay.”</p><p>Hermione was grateful that the interrogation had been a brief one. “So, what do you want us to read you tonight?” she asked, pulling Hugo into her lap. After a brief back and forth in which Hermione tried unsuccessfully to steer her toward a shorter story, Rose picked out one of Hermione’s old Dr. Suess books, which Ron and Hermione took turns reading, alternating page by page. When it was finished Hermione took Hugo to his room, where she laid him down in his crib, kissed him good night, and turned on his constellation light, casting stars onto the ceiling. When she returned to Rose’s room Ron was already halfway through reading her a second book, and Hermione was quiet while he finished, not wanting to stop her from fading out to his voice. When her eyes had been closed for several seconds Ron stopped reading, testing to see if she would react. When she didn’t he put the book away and they each kissed her gently goodnight, before making their departure. </p><p>“Where are you going?” Ron asked as they both headed downstairs, Hermione with her high heels in hand.</p><p>“I’m going out,” she stated obviously. “It’s Saturday, you’re in for the night, the kids are asleep. I see no reason why I can’t.” Her maternal duties for the evening were officially complete.</p><p>Ron scoffed, annoyed that he couldn’t come up with an argument to that. “Well who are you going out with? When will you be home?” </p><p>Hermione sat down on the couch while she put her heels on. “I don’t ask you who you’re with every time you leave the house. Frankly I don’t want to know. I’d appreciate it if you’d extend the same courtesy.” She stood and adjusted the front of her dress.</p><p>“Will you at least tell me when you’ll be home?” Hermione sighed as she reached for a light jacket to put on over her dress.</p><p>“I’ll do my best to be home before the kids are up. If you need me I’ll have my mobile.” She reached for her purse off the coat hook and then for the door handle.</p><p>“You’ve lost weight.” The words weren’t necessarily a compliment, more a statement of fact. Hermione paused and turned around.</p><p>“I don’t know that that’s true.” She hadn’t noticed so, anyway.</p><p>Ron looked her over. “No, it’s true. You’ve lost weight.”</p><p>Hermione shifted her weight from one foot to the other, feeling uncomfortable. “So what if I have? Is that a bad thing?” He was certainly making her feel like it was a criticism of some sort.</p><p>“Who is he? I want to know.” He tried to sound resolute, but Hermione’s returned glare set him back a step.</p><p>“That is absolutely none of your business,” Hermione shot him down quickly. “How dare you even ask me that?” She turned for the door once more, finished with this inappropriate inquiry. The nerve, asking her who she was seeing when he couldn’t even figure out how many women he’d shagged behind her back. At least she knew her number. One!</p><p>“So it is someone specific then, yeah?” Ron said as the door opened and she took a step out, attempting to lure her back in. He felt like an argument at the moment. “You’ve got yourself a boyfriend?”</p><p>Hermione sighed heavily and turned to him one more time, hand still on the doorknob. “Go to bed, Ron.” She didn’t slam the door, but rather closed it calmly and stepped up the path out of the anti-apparation ward, at which point she vanished with a pop, landing securely in the flat’s entryway. She hung up her jacket and bag by the door.</p><p>Up until now the small room off the front of the flat had always been vacant, in fact most times the pair forgot that it was even there, but over the last few weeks Draco had been hard at work setting up an elaborate surprise for his lover. He’d done his research, consulted experts in the field, and was feeling confident that soon Hermione would be able to see what was currently being kept under lock and key. He did, however, have a more immediate surprise for her, in the form of a new kind of toy that he couldn’t wait to try out on her.</p><p>When she arrived Draco greeted her as she made her way into the kitchen, where he'd poured them each a glass of what he now knew to be her favorite wine. He held the glass away from her, seeking payment with a kiss, before handing it over. </p><p>"You got a phone," Hermione teased him with a remorseless grin, taking a sip of the chilled rosé as she looked him over. He wore only a pair of slim fit grey trousers, giving Hermione a very nice view of his bare chest. Merlin, he was sexy. It made her feel inferior by comparison.</p><p>"I did," Draco agreed, unsurprised by her amusement. "I suppose now that means you can send me all sorts of dirty photos."</p><p>Hermione nearly choked. "You've had a phone all of five minutes and you're already asking for nude photos?" She shouldn't have been surprised.</p><p>"First of all, I've been waiting for you for nearly ninety minutes, little lion. You're late." He bopped her on the nose with his finger. She flinched away, but had trouble hiding a smile.</p><p>"What can I say? I got held up. Mum duty." Her children would always come before her affair, they had to. They were her priority first and foremost.</p><p>"I know," Draco confirmed calmly. "That's why I'm going to let it slide." He smirked, and Hermione suspected he didn't mean that, or that perhaps whatever he had planned for the evening was better than any punishment. </p><p>"Plus, I had trouble getting out the door. Ronald saw fit to question me just as I was leaving. Where are you going? When are you coming back? Who is he?" Hermione listed off in annoyance, concluding with a long drink of her wine. </p><p>"Really?" Draco couldn't help being concerned by that last question. "And what did you tell him?"</p><p>"I told him it was none of his bloody business! That he wasn't to ask me those kinds of questions." She drank her wine much more quickly than she should have, and was already feeling it warm her body, making her brain feel pleasantly fuzzy. "He accused me of having a boyfriend," she added with a short laugh.</p><p>"Is that what I am? Your boyfriend?" He refilled her glass half-way.</p><p>"No," Hermione said to him with a playful smirk. To his inquisitively raised brow, she elaborated. "I'm pretty sure you're my mistress." </p><p>Draco's eyes went wide. "Mistress? I'm your mistress?" He set down his own drink and took hold of her waist roughly, causing the liquid from her drink to threaten to spill. He took it from her again, despite her protest. "Do you need to be reminded who's who in this relationship, Lioness?"</p><p>The way he purred her pet name sent a chill down her spine. She grinned. "Whatever do you mean, Mister Malfoy?" </p><p>He didn't answer, but instead kissed her, calmly at first, but the longer his lips remained latched to hers the deeper, more passionately they assaulted them. His hands move to the tie of her dress, which he pulled apart, letting the article unwrap. He pushed the cap sleeves down her arms and the dress fell to the floor, revealing a bright red satin pushup bra and matching high waisted brief knickers. He didn't realize until he put one hand between her legs that the bottoms were crotchless, his fingers immediately finding her moist lips. "Fuck," he groaned, an ironic response to his delight, and broke his mouth away for breath. He leaned back without breaking contact to take in the sight of her, in her naughty knickers and high heels. </p><p>Hermione hummed in appreciation as his fingers played with her, spreading her wetness generously. "You like?" She asked. It wasn't a new set, she'd bought it nearly a year ago hoping she’d feel inclined to wear them, but they'd gone unused all this time. </p><p>"It's perfect," Draco told her, plunging two fingers into her.</p><p>Hermione's head fell back for a moment, a deep moan rolling out of her throat. "Perfect for what?" she asked, recovering as he began to pump the digits inside of her casually. </p><p>Draco withdrew the fingers much too quickly, swiping them up between her lips as he pulled away. "For the first picture on my new phone," he told her, and sucked the fingers clean while he went to find the device. "Come here." </p><p>Hermione let Draco lead her into the hallway, which she thought was an odd place for a photoshoot, but she played along. Next he instructed her to stay right there, and keep her eyes closed. Hermione complied, curious but not wanting to ruin the surprise. She felt him return, standing just behind her, and kept her eyes closed obediently as he kneeled down behind her. She hadn't expected for a cuff, soft to the touch with some sort of faux fur lining, to close around her ankle. "What are you doing?" she asked, finding it difficult not to look now, especially when he guided her to step open more widely. She was standing with her legs shoulder width apart when the second cuff closed around her other ankle. She tried to shift her stance and realized very quickly that her ankles were being held open. "Draco!" </p><p>Draco moved to stand in front of her now, and he grinned at her shocked expression. "That's Mister Malfoy to you, Lioness," he reminded her. "Now be a good girl and bend over, wrists together." </p><p>Hermione opened her mouth to protest, but her cunt was clenching and unclenching aggressively, and she remembered that she had no reason not to embrace it. He hadn’t steered her wrong yet. "Yes Sir," she agreed, awarded with a kiss for her compliance before she bent forward as far as she could go. She could see what was holding her legs open now. It was a metal bar, and in the center of it was another set of cuffs, which Draco then connected to her wrists. </p><p>She was bent in half now, feeling incredibly vulnerable, but also incredibly wet. "Shit…" He was going to photograph her like this. She should protest. But no one knew he had a phone, and no one was ever going to see it but him, she hoped.</p><p>Draco moved behind her and played with her wet pussy for a moment more, wanting to get it nice and glossy for the picture. "That's it, perfect," he told her. "Alright, so I just… Ah, there it is." He found the camera icon on his phone screen and tapped it. </p><p>Hermione did her best to keep her face out of the photos, staining her neck to keep her head up so that she couldn't be seen between her legs, couldn't be identified, just in case. From what she could tell from the shutter sound, he was taking several.</p><p>"Alright," Draco said, snapping another picture. "Last one." Hermione didn't hear any more snaps of the camera app, but for a long moment nothing happened, and then without warning he was inside of her.</p><p>"Fuck, Draco!" She cried out, her heart leaping with fear when for the shortest moment she thought she might fall over, but he was holding her waist, keeping her upright. "Oh god!" He was pounding into her so hard she could feel herself going dizzy, and if it wasn't for his hold on her waist, pulling her to him with each thrust, she would have certainly fallen flat on her face. She wrapped her fingers around the bar holding her legs open and held on for dear life. </p><p>The sight of her bent over the way she was, with her juicy little cunt peeking out from between the fabric of her entirely pointless underwear, made it impossible for Draco to get those pictures without being overcome with the need to fuck her hard and fast. As soon as he was satisfied with the images he'd captured he set down the phone and set to doing just that. The tool forced her open in a way she wouldn't likely manage on her own, and the bent angle aligned her just right to take his full length flawlessly. The spreader bar was already proving a worthwhile investment, and if the screams of intense pleasure coming from her with each forward motion was any indication, he thought she must agree. </p><p>Draco slapped her backside hard, and the resounding crack drowned the gasp that shook Hermione's voice as she came in the spot. "Oh god, oh god!" She didn't think she could handle it any longer. "Draco please, my legs!" She felt as though she might be locked in this position permanently if he didn't have mercy on her soon.</p><p>"Just another minute," Draco growled through gritted teeth. Her cunt, aggressive as ever, was mashing quick work of milking him. "Fuck, yes…" he hissed as pulled out, spilling his load onto her backside. </p><p>Hermione was left panting, head hot and face maroon in color from the blood being pulled down into it by gravity. She felt his warm seed splash onto her, and relief washed over her, knowing she would be released momentarily. After several seconds she heard the artificial shutter of his phone's camera. She should have been mad, but how could she be? Truth be told she'd never seen her own arse covered in cum before. Now was her chance. "For fuck's sake release me!" She demanded, whimpering. </p><p>Draco chuckled, but made quick work of releasing her ankles, followed by her wrists. Hermione slumped unceremoniously onto the floor, rolling over onto her back. Draco set aside the bar and moved on top of her. He kissed her, and she let out one more whimper against his lips.</p><p>"That was insane," she told him. "I think my legs are jello now." They both laughed softly. </p><p>"Oh I don't know," Draco said. He took one of her legs and pushed it toward her, bent at the knee to help loosen the joint. He lowered it and pushed it forward again a couple of times. "They feel pretty firm to me." He repeated the exercise on the other leg.</p><p>Hermione hissed at first, but his efforts did as intended, and her legs felt a hundred times better when he'd finished. "Thanks." </p><p>"Of course," Draco said, brushing some sweaty hair away from her forehead. "I'll always take care of you. It's what I do." </p><p>Hermione smiled and closed her eyes, still recovering from the brief but intense encounter. </p><p>"You want your wine?" Draco suggested, moving off the floor.</p><p>"Mmm, yes please," she agreed, kicking her heels off of her feet as though they suddenly offended her. When she’d had a proper moment to recover she sat up, looking over at the bar. “Where do you come up with these things?” she asked in amazement. “Are there any other new toys I should beware of?” Not that she was complaining, necessarily.</p><p>Draco came back with the wine and sat beside her. “I’ve been doing my research,” he told her, passing her her glass.</p><p>“Research?” Hermione repeated, amused, as she drank deeply of her wine. “Are you taking sex classes or somethihng?”</p><p>With a roll of his eyes, Draco climbed on top of the witch, leaning over her with a scowl. "Listen here, woman, I don't need classes to learn how to fuck you." Hermione drained the glass of its contents and let him take it away from her, setting it on the floor beside them. Her arms went around his neck as he imposed himself on her, lowering her until her back met the cool floor. "But given your apparent interest in being roughed around like the dirty girl you are, I thought I'd verse myself in fun new ways to show you how pleasure can come from pain."</p><p>Hermione moaned, her legs falling open with one wrapping around him as he settled his body between them. His pants were still in place, open in the front from taking her moments before. She could feel him, still hard, against her stomach. "So you do have new toys for me," she assessed with a smirk. Draco answered with his mouth on her throat, sucking on the soft, fragile skin until she moaned.</p><p>He could feel the wetness between her legs again, and rolled his hips to allow his length to coat itself with her. "I have so much in store for you.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Omg y'all, it's coming! The kink is coming!</p>
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<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Those Three Words</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Draco debuts the newly remodeled spare room to Hermione, and passion commences.</p><p>Tags: Light Choking, Light Flogging, Anal Play, Sex Toys, Anal Sex</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I just want to start out by saying I KNOW it's very late, I'm the worst. Please forgive me. I'm going through it right now, and my night was derailed by a family emergency, so... yeah, I did it though! Here it is! And I'm in NY so in the EST time zone it's still Monday. Let the kink commence!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
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</div>Hermione’s heart hammered with excitement as he hovered over her. “I can’t wait.” She meant it, but she was also incredibly nervous. Everything Draco had done to her body in recent months had proved more pleasurable than painful, but if he was looking into more extreme activities, extreme toys, extreme tools, she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to keep up. Of course, ever the Gryffindor, she wouldn’t let some nerves keep her from experiencing whatever it was he had to offer. “Show me.”<p>Draco helped Hermione off of the floor, where he pulled her close and kissed her hard. "You're sure you're ready for more?" He questioned her.</p><p>Hermione tried not to let the question intimidate her. "Are you sure you are?" she threw it back on him with a grin.</p><p>"Oh, I'm not worried about me," Draco told her. He knew he didn't have to worry about having the stamina to go again, because a great amount of what he planned for her had very little to do with his body.</p><p>"Ooh," Hermione cooed, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Intrigue." She kissed him once more and lowered her arms, instead taking his hand to draw him towards the bedroom, however he remained rooted.</p><p>"Ah ah, not in there," Draco told her with a dark smirk, and pulled her back to him. Hermione's eyes widened as she returned to him. "That room is where I make love to Hermione," Draco told her. "From now on when I fuck my Lioness senseless, I'll be doing it in here." As he spoke he pulled her with him down the hall to the first room. It was typically locked, but today it was finally unlocked, ready for its debut. </p><p>Hermione felt a chill over her nearly naked body at the way he switched, again, from Draco to Mister Malfoy. "Really?" She was as curious as she'd ever been, if not partially nervous. She watched intently as he reached for the knob, and watched as the formerly empty room emerged, no longer a void space, but instead what she could only describe as a dungeon of passion. "Fuck me…" she whispered to herself.</p><p>"Yes, love, that's entirely the point." He held the door open for her, and watched as she passed him, an awed expression on her face.</p><p>Inside the room was the start of what Draco hoped to turn into a dark paradise for his lover. There was a swing mounted in the corner, equipped with straps and holsters for her legs and arms and any configuration he chose to put her in. A black leather arched chaise came out from the opposite corner. Over the back of the door were straps on all corners, wrist and ankle cuffs to mount her against it in an X formation. In the center of the room there was an adjustable piece of furniture, which could be reconfigured in different shapes. There were multiple rings in strategic locations for her to be buckled down if needed. And on the wall opposite the door was a black and red pegboard, where a variety of whips, paddles, and ticklers hung from silver hooks. Underneath was a display case, which contained more savory toys and devices.</p><p>Draco entered behind her and closed the door. “So, what do you think?”</p><p>Hermione looked around the room slowly, taking it all in. It was both terrifying and thrilling. She had never seen it all on display in this way. She ran her fingers across the various hanging objects that he’d previously used to slap and whip and bruise her up the way she liked. There were a couple she wasn’t sure she’d noticed before. Typically Draco kept them locked away, bringing them out only when he intended to use them. She’d never realized there was so much to their collection. Perhaps he’d acquired more. “I think…” She had no idea how to answer. She turned back to look at Draco, who was leaning against the door. Only then did she notice the straps fixed across it. “I don’t know what to think.”</p><p>“Is there anything in here you’d like to try tonight?” Draco offered her the option, since it was all so new. He was curious to know what drew her attention, what she was in the mood for. So often he simply had a plan, and she simply enjoyed it. What was it she’d choose for herself?</p><p>Hermione’s eyes widened briefly, but she turned to look around the room. “I…” She had no idea where to start. Something that didn’t require standing, most certainly. She walked around the small room for a moment, before going over to the display board as she’d done before. She examined each of the objects, before selecting something she was familiar with, a short leather crop with one smooth side and one metal studded side. Then, feeling extra curious, she opened the display case below, and withdrew an object she was most certain he’d never used on her before now. It was a long red silicone toy with red heart-shaped nodules, tapered in size from smallest at the tip to largest at the handle, which was a ring made from the same silicone material. She was quite sure she knew what it was for, she’d simply never experienced it. She bit her lip and pulled it out from the display, turning around to show Draco her selections.</p><p>Draco watched her consider her weapons of choice. When she turned back to him with her lower lip clenched between her teeth his cock twitched to life. “That’s what you want to play with tonight?” Draco confirmed, and she straightened her stance with determination, releasing her lip and nodding.</p><p>“Yes, Mister Malfoy.” She passed over the objects, and he received them with a chuckle.</p><p>“Go on,” he nodded his head in the direction of the chaise. She moved without hesitation, settling on all fours and resting on her forearms, with her chest against the corner between the back and the arm. She turned her head to rest there as well.</p><p>“How’s this, Sir?” she asked him, seeking his approval in a way she didn’t normally do. </p><p>Draco watched her, and moved to stand behind her to better appreciate the view. “That’s perfect,” he told her. He smacked her backside with the leather side of the crop playfully. She jumped for the surprise of it, and laughed at herself in embarrassment. He smacked her again, this time a bit harder. Hermione moaned softly in her throat. A third hit and her lips parted, a gasp of a moan meeting his ears. He tapped the crop against the inside of her thighs twice, instructing her to spread her knees. She did so obediently, and he rubbed the tip of the crop between her legs, against her wet pussy lips. He slid it back and forth several times, letting her fall into a comfortable state of mild stimulation, before suddenly slapping it against the lips hard. </p><p>Hermione loved the way he teased her, mixing such subtle sensation with the sudden harsh shock of pain. She cried out in pleasure when he hit her once more. She looked over her shoulder at him but she couldn’t quite see what he was doing. She lifted one arm to hold onto the side of the lounger, and had barely settled into the new position when the crop crashed down against her clit. Her body shook and she would have fallen forward if she wasn’t already as far forward as she could go. “Oh Gods, yes…” When he hit her again, the cold metal studs were a whole different sensation. “Fuck!” she cried out, feeling her pelvic walls clenching down eagerly. She whimpered when there was nothing there for them to hold. </p><p>He hit her legs, scattering his attention across the backs of her thighs, down her calve muscles, even the bottoms of her feet. She moaned and squirmed and shouted in delight of the way such a small strip of metal attached to a plastic stick could have such an arousing effect on her. She could feel the wetness pulling inside her entrance, and she was sure that if she clenched her walls one more time she could expel a thick drop of her body’s eager lubricant. “More!” Hermione cried out in frustration. “I want more…” She panted as she worked herself up in excitement. “Please…”</p><p>Draco watched her squirming in her place, horny and needy, desperate to have something inside of her. While she begged, Draco retrieved a small bottle of water-based lubricant. He returned just a moment later, and squeezed some of it into Hermione’s puckering backside.</p><p>Hermione gasped when she felt the cool liquid gather in her arsehole, and a moment later his finger was twisting it inside, spreading and coating the first few inches of her anus in preparation. “Oh yes…” she moaned, and closed her eyes. She wanted to savor the new sensation of a new toy, to concentrate on nothing more than every overly sensitive nerve ending as they were brought to life by this new experience. Finally, the first small heart-shaped ball was pushed inside of her with ease. It was followed almost immediately by a second, slightly larger sibling. Hermione moaned as he pulled the second out, and pushed it back in again. Soon a third popped inside, and the stretch of her sphincter made her clench with excitement. She hummed in appreciation of the sensation. Draco carefully withdrew the newest, and the second, before pushing them back inside of her. “That feels so good…” she assured him in a breathy moan. He repeated the motion, before the fourth joined the others, stretching her more still. </p><p>When he withdrew the heart beads again he did so in one steady but fluid motion, and thrust them in and out of her several times. Hermione moaned and squirmed, pushing her backside toward him in her excitement and pleasure. “Yes! More!” The fifth bead made her gasp. It wasn’t anything larger than what she was used to, by any means, but she wasn’t used to such extended progression. She’d never had the chance to appreciate it on such a small scale. She was breathing hard now. He worked the toy inside of her with increased intensity, not pulling out as deep, but moving it more quickly. "Oh gods that's so good…" She could feel the familiar building in her core. It wasn’t quite enough to take her there, but it was certainly getting her closer.</p><p>It was the sixth heart filling her that pushed her over. Now all seven inches buried inside of her, Hermione began to wiggle her hips, craving more. Draco worked the balls back and forth, in and out at different depths. “Fuck me,” Hermione whimpered. “Please Draco, I want to cum, fuck me!”</p><p>He pushed the toy deep into her suddenly, and leaned over her, wrapping his hand around her neck. He gripped her throat and pulled her back, and she barely registered what was happening in time to move her hands to hold her up against the seat beneath her, she moaned at the rough, unexpected treatment. “What did you call me?”</p><p>“Mister Malfoy!” Hermione corrected herself, and gasped loudly as he ripped the balls out of her completely. “Fuck me, Mister Malfoy,” she whined, desperate for it now. The mild restriction to her airflow, paired with the two glasses of wine, made her feel mildly lightheaded, which blended nicely with how insanely horny she felt. “Yes!” Hermione shouted as he thrusted suddenly into her. The girth of even the largest heart was nothing compared to his, and the sudden change was intense, but her muscles accepted him gladly, too used to him by now to be put off by his size. </p><p>Draco loved how much she needed it, and he kept his grip on her throat careful as he held her in place. With his free hand he slapped her left ass cheek hard. “How do you want it?” he asked in a dark tone, and nipped her earlobe playfully before sucking on it. “Like this?” He moved within her slowly, pulling nearly all the way out and then teasing only the first couple inches of her cavity with the head of his cock. </p><p>He was taunting her, and Hermione whimpered pitifully. She tried to take the initiative to push back against him, to take in more of his length, but he retaliated with another slap to her backside. She could be upset about it, but it was the whole thrill of it, letting him abuse her, bending to his will, surrendering control. It was everything she’d never known she needed. “Please, harder!” If he wanted to hear her beg, that was what she’d do, anything for him to get her off as she was so desperate for him to do.</p><p>Draco’s hips moved back, his cock popping out of her, and then pushed suddenly back in all the way. Out again, and then in. “Like this?” he continued his torment. </p><p>Hermione let out a dry sob. Each jagged forward thrust shook her body, but with so much time between them it did little to help her. One step forward, two steps back. “Faster, please!”</p><p>In compliance with her newest request, he changed up his method once more, now moving very quickly, and very shallow, within her, filling her at only half-length at best. “How’s this?” Merlin, he was enjoying the torture. Was that wrong of him? He didn’t think so.</p><p>“Fuck!” Hermione was becoming frustrated, and the feeling was maddening, like she might actually go insane if he didn’t get her there soon. “Fuck me hard and fast! Fuck me like you mean it!”</p><p>He released her throat so suddenly that she fell forward onto the lounge, and with both hands he grabbed onto her waist. He crashed into her with all his might, thighs slamming against hers, pelvis clapping against ass, bullocks slapping her weeping cunt. It was ecstasy to be buried so deep within that cavern of her ass. He thanked Merlin that she was such a slag for anal. So many girls were offended by the very suggestion, but not her. She’d loved it since the first time she’d had it, from what he could tell.</p><p>“Yes, oh fuck yes!” Hermione shouted victoriously, voice shaking as her body was rocked so violently by him. “I’m cumming! Oh shit! Don’t stop!” And thankfully he did not. Her toes curled and her legs quaked as she was thrown over by a tidal wave of pleasure. Her fingernails dug into the leather upholstery as his unceasing movement extended her climax. She opened her mouth wide in a silent scream, punctuated by a gasp as her upper half collapsed onto the chaise.</p><p>Draco slowed to a stop. He was by no means finished with her, but it was clear that she needed a moment to recover. He smacked her ass with a lazy hand. “Turn over,” he instructed her through ragged breath. She ever so reluctantly did as she was told, moving stiffly onto her back. When she did, he took hold of her thighs and pulled her forward slightly, before pushing her legs up, thrusting her opening into the air. He moved in, holding her legs in place while he lapped away at her orgasm. While he licked up her mess he stroked himself, keeping himself hard with a firm grasp. She moaned appreciatively, getting comfortable as she once again surrendered her body to his will. He placed one knee on the lounger on the outside of her leg, and pushed into her soaked heat, groaning as she swallowed him up. He began moving again at a steady pace, keeping it relaxed while she recovered from the prior intensity.</p><p>Hermione embraced the arch of the lounge, letting it stretch out her back as she enjoyed the simple pleasure of being taken so gently. She reached one hand behind her back and, with only a bit of difficulty, unclasped her bra, ridding herself of it. As soon as he saw this Draco leaned forward and took one of her freed nipples into his mouth, sucking on it hard as he began to pick up his pace. He switched to the other, swirling his tongue around the hard peak and nipping at it playfully. She loved it, even if her relaxed moans didn’t come out as enthusiastic as they normally would. She hummed in a show of appreciation. “That’s nice,” she told him. She put her fingers into his hair, which had changed recently, longer on top, shorter on the sides, but always styled flawlessly, the perfect specimen that he was. </p><p>When he licked the valley between her breasts, drawing his wet tongue up the middle of her chest to her neck, Hermione felt goose pimples form on her body. She moaned more spiritedly as he sucked sloppily along her neck, up her jaw, finally to her lips. By the time their mouths met he was bucking into her more wildly again, and her arms wrapped around him, followed by her legs. He was close, she was sure of it, and she didn’t think she had the energy to cum again, but she could also feel the stirrings. She hoped he lasted long enough to make it happen. “Yes, yes!” she encouraged. </p><p>Draco could feel her gripping him, her cunt trying to milk him like the vixen it was. “Fuck,” he groaned, trying to resist it. He wanted to get her off one more time if he could. He put one hand between them, finding her clit and rubbing it harshly. She hadn’t expected it, if her cry of pleasure was any indication. She began to whimper and swear and he worked the pleasure nub more intensely. “Cum for me, Lioness. Cum one more time, all over my cock.” He knew the dirty talk would put her over. She seized up, body tensing as he sent her over the edge once more. He wanted to ride her all the way through it but it was impossible. Her limbs were locked around him so tightly he knew there was no escape. He filled her with a loud, shaking moan. He shuddered against her with his few last jagged thrusts, before stilling, still deep within her heat.</p><p>They stayed that way for a long moment, basking in their post-coital bliss, soaking in their mutual orgasms. For a couple of minutes the only sounds in the room were their heavy panting and rapid heart rhythms, pounding so hard it was damn near audible, or maybe it just sounded that way in their ears. He didn’t want to leave her, even as he returned to his flaccid state. He felt at home inside of her.</p><p>“Lioness,” Draco finally broke the silence. He leaned over her, and brushed some of her hair away from her eyes. Her eyes opened, and she stared up at him questioningly. “I love you.”</p><p>Hermione’s mouth fell open in surprise, and she tried to think quickly. She wanted to say it back, it was her first instinct. It felt as natural as breathing, but as quickly as the reply nearly came it caught in her throat. Her head was swimming, confused. She suddenly didn’t know if she loved him or if she was just still riding the high of a good hard fuck. “I love you, too.” She did. Of course she did. She hadn’t let herself think it all this time because it could never be real. She wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to give her life to him the way she did her body. But the moment she heard the words from him she knew it in an instant. She loved Draco Malfoy. </p><p>Now what?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Are you fanning yourself yet? Because I know I am, and I wrote the thing! As always I live and breath for your feedback! Thanks for reading and thanks to all my loyal regulars who always read and comment. I love our dialogs! You guys are the best!</p>
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<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Morning Glory</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Draco and Hermione enjoy a few more minutes of bliss before returning to their respective home lives.</p><p>Chapter tags: Hand job, blow job, sex, anal sex, anal play</p>
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</div>Hermione stood under the shower stream, enjoying the heat as it soaked into her hair and washed down her sweat covered skin. Every experience with Draco was brand new, always exciting, and now she knew that she had great things to look forward to. She ran both hands back through her hair to ensure that all layers were thoroughly soaked, and jumped suddenly when a part of arms wrapped around her middle. Hermione laughed at herself, and reached one hand back further to hold onto his neck, the other moved to grab his hand as it snuck south between her legs.<p>“Have you honestly not gotten your fill?” she asked. They’d already shagged twice that night, she’d had several orgasms, and she didn’t think she was ready for any more. </p><p>Draco pressed his body against hers. “You’re naked, I can’t help myself,” he told her with a chuckle. “Naked, and wet, and-”</p><p>“Draco!” Hermione chastised, slapping his hand that hers covered, which had tried to move south again. </p><p>He laughed. “But I don’t get to do this often,” he argued. “It’s not every day I get to kiss you.” He kissed the side of her neck, and she instinctively turned her head away to allow it. “It’s not every day I get to touch you.” He slid his hand up her body to grasp one of her breasts firmly. “And it’s sure as hell not every day I get to share a shower with you.”</p><p>Hermione let out a long, soft hum. She did enjoy being kissed and touched by him, after all. “Well in that case maybe we should be showering, not shagging,” she pointed out logically. </p><p>“Perhaps you’re right,” Draco agreed. He leaned forward and kissed her neck once more before releasing her. </p><p>Hermione smiled to herself as she reached for the shampoo. She squeezed a large portion of it into her hand out of habit, forgetting that she didn’t have nearly as much hair as she used to, and worked it in, creating a generous lather. After a moment there was another pair of hands in her hair, fingertips working the soap into her scalp. Hermione let out another soft moan, enjoying what was turning into a scalp massage, and let her own hands fall to her sides, and her head fell forward. Water streamed down the front of her face, and his hands moved down to her neck, and then her shoulders. “That feels nice,” she told him through a slight groan. “You’re still not shagging me again.” She smirked, and gasped when he bit her right where her neck met her shoulder.</p><p>Waking up beside Draco Sunday morning was a peace Hermione hadn’t known since the first time they’d slept in the bed, eight weeks ago. She could feel his body behind her, his warmth, his morning-wood poking into her backside. She smiled. The last time she’d felt a morning erection against her back she’d nearly kicked her husband right off the bed. This time, however, she rotated her hips, teasing him even as he slept. She turned around, careful to shift the mattress as little as possible as she faced him. He was still naked from their shower the night before, they both were, and while his face looked peaceful and innocent while he slept, his hard cock made terrible promises. </p><p>She couldn’t help herself. Her hand reached out, wrapping around the stiff shaft gently. She stroked him in a slow, careful manner, watching his face to see if he’d noticed. She could have sworn she saw his lip twitch slightly in the corner, the smallest hint of his usual smirk. She continued rubbing him for another minute or so, before she thought it might be better to take it a step further. What man wouldn’t want to wake with his cock in someone else’s mouth? She crept down the bed and replaced her fingers with her tongue, licking the full length and then swirled it around the tip. </p><p>Draco groaned slightly, and shifted, rolling onto his back, but appeared otherwise asleep as she took the head into her mouth. She watched him carefully through her lashes as she opened her mouth wider and took in more of his length, being sure to get his dick nice and wet with her saliva as she went in order to take him with greater ease. He scrunched up his face in concentration, and let out another groan, this one deeper than the last. She watched in amusement, unsure if he was aware of what was happening, or just enjoying it through his dreams. </p><p>"Ugh, Lioness," he finally groaned, one hand reaching blindly towards her. Well, she was pleased to know that even in his dazed state it was her he envisioned. His fingers made it into her hair, which he held into tightly. Hermione pushed herself forward slightly to relieve some of the tension of his grip, and continued valiantly swallowing more of him into her throat. She moaned around his length, and Draco's leg twitched against her breast that rested on it. He let out a single panting breath. </p><p>Hermione loved seeing this most authentic reaction out of him. She bobbed her head slow and deep, stroking him with her throat, teasing him with her tongue. She forgot to watch him after a minute, lost in her own efforts, so she nearly choked when his grip on her hair tightened and he pulled her upward, his cock popping out of her mouth most unexpectedly, making her gasp loudly. </p><p>"If you wanted a shag all you had to do was say so," he said in a voice still raspy from sleep. She moved willingly as he led her by her hair, until her back was to his front, and with only minimal efforts to align himself, he thrust deep into her, her saliva coating his cock, along with her own arousal, allowing him to move immediately inside her with ease.</p><p>Hermione gasped at the sudden intrusion, and bent her outer leg forward, the one against the mattress sticking straight down. Draco took hold of her thigh and held it tightly against her front as he began increasing his rhythm, as thought he'd not been asleep just a minute before. The stretch burned but the way he took her made it easy to forget. Soon the room was filled with her moans. "My ass, fuck my ass," she begged in a tone of desperation.  She cried out as he transferred his cock suddenly and without any preparation into her back end, just as she'd requested. Her body, quite used to this now, accepted him willingly.</p><p>"Yes, oh fuck yes!" Hermione cried, eyes squinted shut as he crashed into her roughly from behind. </p><p>Draco couldn't think of a better way to wake up on a Sunday morning. Despite the fact that it was a cold, wet, dreary kind of day, he'd been gifted the rare treat of awaking with his cock deep inside his lover's mouth. Sure, she'd sucked him off plenty in the last five or so months, but this was a first. He could have let her finish the job, but what kind of dominant would he be if he didn't reward her for her generosity?</p><p>He slammed himself into her, first her dripping cunt, and then her greedy little arse, which always craved all the attention for itself. Merlin, he loved that about her. So many women were terrified to let a man so much as touch their puckered rosebuds, but Hermione craved it, begged for it, and came violently for it. The way she was able to squeeze his cock as it moved inside of her was unreal, and he didn't know if she did it consciously to make him cum, or if it was an organic reaction to being fucked with such force, but it was doing a spectacular job in milking him, and he was beginning to struggle to resist. He didn't want it to be over, but he also couldn't wait to fill her arse to the brim with his hot load.</p><p>Hermione reached one arm back behind her, holding onto his neck while the other hand rubbed herself between her legs. She was so close to climax she couldn't stand it, and stuffing three of her own slim fingers inside of her, feeling the strength of his dick as it passed in and out of her other passage, sent her over the edge. She shook and squirmed against him as her orgasm washed over her, but his assault on her did not relent. </p><p>"Fuck!" Draco groaned through clenched teeth. "How are you always so tight?" If he sounded like he was complaining, that couldn't be further from the truth. He was in awe, and he could feel the digits inside of her, narrowing the available space inside of her body. He rolled them forward so that her front pressed into the bed, and pulled her bent leg down straight to match the other, pinning them together as he straddled her thighs. With both hands he spread her cheeks taut, watching as his length appeared and disappeared again rapidly. </p><p>Hermione laughed at his plight, and groaned as she was forced onto her stomach, her hand now pinned under her body. She continued moving her fingers inside of herself, since she might as well. "Oh god, Draco!" she whimpered, feeling another familiar coiling in her core at the intensity of his movement, a second wave of her climax from moments before. "Draco!" She shouted again, a plea for mercy as she came again. His movements became rigid, falling out of rhythm, and the last few harsh thrusts were accompanied by the same grunts that often announced his release. Finally he slowed to a stop, and she removed her hand from between herself and the bed as he slipped out of her brutalized arse.</p><p>Draco withdrew carefully, still holding her wide open for his viewing pleasure. Having lost the thick rod of flesh gaping her open, her muscles clenched down in residence to his hold, attempting to return to its usual constricted state. Doing so caused several thick drops of his seed to drip out of her, and he pushed her cheeks together, forcing more out. He released both hardy mounds and slid his finger into her, creating a hook and drawing out more of his load. </p><p>Hermione let out a soft sigh, not minding the continued play. "Do all men enjoy playing with arse this much?" she inquired. Apart from the actual sex, he did like to mess with her arse quite a bit, seemingly for his own amusement.</p><p>"Probably not," Draco answered with a chuckle. "Then again, I've never known a witch who begs for it like you do." With that he slapped her ass hard with both hands, making her jump as she bounced against the mattress. He moved off of her.</p><p>Hermione turned over onto her back, and when she peered toward the window, she caught sight of the clock on the well. Her eyes widened. "Is that time correct?" she asked, reaching for her phone for confirmation. "Shit, the kids." She'd said she'd be back by the time they woke, and chances were they already had.</p><p>She got off the bed quickly, running straight into the loo to relieve and clean herself. </p><p>Draco hadn't had time to answer, she had already found her answer. Looking for himself, he found it was just past seven thirty. She'd overslept, even before the shagging. He waited for her to come out of the bathroom, pulling on his underwear and going to the kitchen to start the kettle, in case she could spare the moment to share a cuppa, which he doubted, but he at the very least needed one. </p><p>When she found him she was dressed again, looking halfway decent for someone who'd been shagged a total of three times in the last ten hours. Draco offered her the cup of tea he'd prepared, and she sighed, guilty. "Just a sip," she told him. "Ron's already texted me, the kids are up and eating breakfast. I don't suppose I'll hear the end of it any time soon." She took the cup from his hands and took just a few moments to savor the hot liquid traveling through her body before she passed it back to him. </p><p>"I'll see you tomorrow?" Draco said, accepting that she had to rush. </p><p>"Hmm?" Hermione was checking a new message on her phone. She sighed heavily in annoyance. "Yes, at the meeting."</p><p>Draco set his cup down and pulled her close, just for one last moment before she could leave him. "I meant what I said last night," he told her.</p><p>Hermione smiled softly. "I did too," she told him, and kissed him tenderly. Her smile faltered when she pulled away. "I just wish-" she shook her head, looking away from him. "We'll figure this out eventually, won't we?"</p><p>Draco could hear the slight break in her voice as she spoke. He didn't often see her get emotional like this, not since she first caught her weasel husband getting sucked off by his sales associate. "We will," he assured her, though he wasn't sure at all. It was still the right answer in that moment. He pulled her in for one more kiss. "Go, have breakfast with your munchkins."</p><p>As Hermione left she smiled at the way he'd used her pet name for her children. She didn't realized she'd said it enough around him for him to pick up on it, and she was quite sure he has no idea where the name came from. She wondered if there might ever be a day when their families could come together. For Rose and Hugo to meet Scorpius, for their lives to become integrated. Her heart ached with the sudden fear that that might never happen. </p><p>Work came as a great relief for her the next day. Ronald had been most unpleasant all of Sunday, jealous and angry at the idea that she'd spent the night with another man, as well he should be. He'd brought it on himself, as far as she could tell. She'd ended it with Draco at midnight on New Years and if it hadn't been for Ron's own indiscretion, or numerous indiscretions as it'd turned out, she would have stayed broken up with him. </p><p>Could she have made the choice to forgive him and repair what was fundamentally wrong in their marriage? Of course, and she'd repeatedly considered it in recent months, but when it came down to it she didn't think she could ever trust him again. She would always wonder where he was, who he was with, who he was going to stick his freckled cock in next. She'd want him to quit his job. She'd want to control every aspect of his life just to ensure that he was staying true, and for what? She couldn't burden herself in that way. It wasn't healthy.</p><p>So perhaps, instead, a divorce would be better. It would provide closure, allow each of the involved parties to move on with their lives. She and Draco could be together, truly, without hiding and sneaking around. But then again, would either of their spouses release them willingly? Would Ron, in a jealous, embarrassed fit try to turn the tables on her, telling everyone that she was also unfaithful? Would Astoria outright expose their affair? She'd all but threatened it once before.</p><p>Even if her career could survive the drama of a divorce, would it make it through the scandal of an unsavory extramarital affair? Could there ever be a peaceful merger between the Weasleys and the Malfoys? Could she ever have a birthday or holiday celebration with all of her loved ones in one place?</p><p>"Hermione?" </p><p>The sudden voice of her assistant startled Hermione out of her thoughts. She looked up to see the young woman standing in the doorway of her office. </p><p>"Yes, what is it, Stacy?" Hermione asked, shaking her head quickly to rid herself of the distracting ponderings, effectively bursting her thought bubble.</p><p>"Is it alright if I take a long lunch?" Stacy asked hopefully.</p><p>"Oh." The devoted secretary often took lunch at her desk, or down in the atrium like so many other Ministry employees. "Yes, I don't see-" Hermione had been about to say she didn't see any problem with that, but movement behind the younger witch caught Hermione's attention. She knew that raven haired wizard, and it wasn't Harry she was seeing. "Stacy, are you going on a date?" she asked curiously.</p><p>Stacy blushed, but grinned. "Yeah. He asked me this morning. We've chatted a couple of times but I never thought he'd see anything in me. He's quite handsome, isn't he?"</p><p>Hermione had to choke down her instinctual repulsion. "Yes, quite," she agreed. Okay, so he was good looking, in the wealthy, arrogant, well dressed kind of way. </p><p>Stacy was clearly very excited. "That's still okay, right?"</p><p>Hermione smiled warmly. "Yes, of course." </p><p>"So I look alright? I was in such a rush this morning, I was running late, I barely put any makeup on, and I certainly had no idea-"</p><p>"You look beautiful, Stace. You always do. Go on, have fun." With a forced grin, she watched Stacy disappear behind her door, and through the blinds on her door and office window she could see Theodore Nott place his hand on Stacy's back as he escorted her to the lifts.</p><p>Great. Just lovely. Now her secretary was dating the only person outside of her relationship who knew about the troubles in her marriage, her husband's most unlikely of friends? If they continued dating Stacy would want to hang out socially, double dates and the like. Nott would encourage it, she was sure, just to make her miserable. Hermione groaned and let her forehead fall onto her desk with a thud, the impact absorbed only by the stack of papers in front of her</p>
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          <p>So apparently miracles do happen. I didn't think I could do it, I really didn't, but here it is!</p>
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<a name="section0025"><h2>25. The Parade</h2></a>
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            <p>Hermione takes the day off of work to take Rose to see the Royal Wedding for her birthday, and they're joined by a surprising pair.</p>
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</div>Hermione dipped her spoon into the pint, scooping out a large amount of ice cream and ensuring that she got a couple small balls of cookie dough.<p>“Hey!” Draco scolded, watching her put the spoonful of sweet into her mouth. “Quit hogging all the cookie dough. That’s the best part!”</p><p>Hermione grinned around her spoon, sucking off every last bit shamelessly. “I know,” she agreed when the ice cream had melted away, and boldly reached for another spoonful. She was unsurprised when he pulled it out of her reach defiantly. </p><p>“Remind me to get you your own pint next time,” he complained, but she did look adorable when she teased him with her eyes like that, and he couldn’t help but move the small carton back into her reach, allowing her another large scoop. </p><p>“Oh,” Hermione said around the spoon, and waited until she’d finished to continue her thought. “Next time get some mint chocolate chip, too. Or butterscotch, or-”</p><p>“Bloody hell, woman. Having a bit of a craving are we?” They both laughed, Hermione blushing slightly. </p><p>“Maybe a little,” she confessed. "You think this is a craving, though? You should have seen me when I was pregnant with Rosie, and Hugo for that matter. Ice cream was the only thing that didn't make me ill, especially mint chocolate chip." She spoke around another mouthful of ice cream at the end of her last sentence, and Draco stared at her in amusement. “Once I went a whole week eating nothing but banana splits. We’re talking the whole shabang. One scoop each of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry, loads of chocolate syrup, whipped cream, crushed peanuts, sprinkles, cherries, and of course bananas.”</p><p>Draco stared at Hermione as she talked about her ice cream. He’d never heard someone so passionate about their dessert. “You sure you’re not craving one of those now?” She looked as though she was reminiscing. </p><p>Hermione’s eyes went wide with excitement. “Oh my God, yes!” she said with a hungry groan. “Can we?”</p><p>Draco laughed at her. “I would love to indulge you, but…” He looked at his wristwatch. “I have to be home in thirty minutes,” he reminded her. She pouted.</p><p>“Right.” Finding time to schedule together, just the two of them, was becoming more and more difficult as time went on. Hermione had a suspicion that both Astoria and Ron were equally but separately sabotaging their schedules. Tonight, for instance, Astoria had made Draco promise to be home by eight so that she could go out. The night before that Ron had actually had the audacity to tell her it was “his turn”, and that she needed to stay home with the kids. Hermione had locked the bedroom door that night, leaving a pillow and blanket on the couch for him to use.</p><p>Perhaps it might seem unfair, her treating him as though his actions were wrong and hers were not, but since he couldn't seem to figure out just how many random slags he'd been stepping out with, she stood righteous on the grounds that she only had one lover. And as for Astoria, well, she'd always had it in for their relationship, nevermind the fact that she didn't see Draco as a lover, and their marriage of convenience was more or less unaffected.</p><p>"Did you hear about the royal wedding?" Hermione asked, changing the subject, as she scooped out another spoonful of cookie dough ice cream. "It's this weekend, the same day as Rosie's birthday," she pointed out, before sucking the sweet treat from her spoon. "The muggle prime minister declared it a holiday. I'm considering taking the day off," she told him. "I thought it might be nice to have a princess day, get all dressed up, take her down to see the parade."</p><p>Draco raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly. "A parade, huh? You know, I've always wanted to take Scorpius to see a parade."</p><p>Hermione grinned around her spoon. "It'll be a great opportunity to teach her about muggle culture," she continued as if he hadn't spoken, her heart leaping excitedly. She didn't want to acknowledge what she thought he might be implying. She didn't want to get too excited, and she certainly didn't want such an outing to be premeditated. “She loves Disney films, so this will be her chance to see a real life princess story.”</p><p>The following Friday morning Hermione woke extra early to begin preparing her daughter’s birthday breakfast. Blueberry pancakes with raspberry syrup and whipped cream on top, scrambled eggs, and breakfast sausage. With the food charmed to stay warm and fresh, Hermione got the kids up while Ron prepared himself for the day. </p><p>Soon after the four were seated and eating, when there was a pecking at the back door off the kitchen. </p><p>"I'll get it." Ron wiped his mouth on his napkin before getting up to check the door. There was a large owl waiting behind it, a parcel wrapped in brown paper. "To Princess Rose on her Birthday," he read the note out loud when he'd retrieved it. "Hm." There was no name. He passed the item to Hermione. </p><p>"For me?" Rose asked excitedly, leaning over the table towards her mother to see the package.</p><p>"Yes!" Hermione said to her little girl with a grin. "But you've got to eat your breakfast before you open it." If ever there was a way to motivate a child to finish her meal it was the promise of a gift. She began to swiftly scarf down her eggs and sausage, because she knew it was what Hermione would hold her accountable to. </p><p>When she had eaten as much as she could Hermione helped her wash her hands and face, and Ron cleared the food from the table, before the unopened package was finally presented to its recipient, who tore into the paper gleefully. Hermione watched with genuine curiosity as Rose pulled out a pink and purple shimmering princess dress, complete with plastic accessories and a rhinestone encrusted tiara that shone brightly in the sunlight coming through the kitchen window.</p><p>"It's a dress," Ron stated the obvious.</p><p>"It's a princess dress," Hermione corrected with a grin. "And do you know what? I know exactly where you can wear this." Hermione's stomach fluttered with happiness. She hadn't told anyone but Ron that she was playing hooky from work to take Rose to the royal wedding procession, except for Draco. It was no wonder the gift was sent anonymously. "Come on, let's go try it on." Hermione gathered up the outfit while Rose jumped down from her chair and ran to her room.</p><p>"Who's that from?" Ron asked, failing in his attempt to come off nonchalant. </p><p>"I've no idea," Hermione lied far too easily. "Could be anyone. It's an easy gift. What four year old wouldn't want their own princess costume?" She headed into Rose's room, where she found the toddler with her head stuck in her pajama top.  She plucked it off her head before helping her change. </p><p>After donning her daughter in her full costume, and leaving her to play in her room, Hermione got herself ready for the day. Wanting to dress for the occasion, Hermione dressed in a blush colored off the shoulder peplum dress with a large pink rose print. It wasn’t something she would normally wear, and she had only bought it for a garden party she’d attended a couple years before. It hadn’t fit her since, but today, despite being a bit snug, it fit rather well. She did her makeup light for daytime, with a red lip shade, and found a pair of nude flats for comfort, knowing she’d be doing a fair bit of walking in them today.</p><p>“Rosie!” she called as she came back down the stairs, shoes in hand. “Are you ready?” She could hear the pattering of feet as the birthday girl came running out to meet her. </p><p>Rose gasped loudly. “Mommy, you look beautiful!” she exclaimed, grabbing hold of the peplum skirt and playing with the material that hung from around her waist. </p><p>“Well, the mother of a princess has to look her best, too,” Hermione explained. She took her daughter’s hand. “Let’s go say goodbye to Daddy and Hugo.” She brought her into Hugo’s room, where Ron was getting him dressed. “You going to take him to your mum’s before you go to work?” she asked him.</p><p>“That’s the plan,” Ron replied while he helped their boy step into his pants. </p><p>“Alright, well, we’d better head out. We want to be sure we don’t miss the bride!” Hermione said, giving Hugo a kiss on top of his head.</p><p>“Bye daddy!” Rose called to her father.</p><p>“Bye princess!” Ron called back as the mother-daughter duo made their exit.</p><p>Hermione had to use quite a bit of sneaky magic to get her and her daughter to a prime viewing location in order to watch the procession. She apparated them into a hidden location in St James park, very near Buckingham Palace. The newlyweds would be headed this way after the wedding ceremony, but for now, they hunkered down for some quality time in the fresh, still rather crisp spring air. She charmed Rose’s princess dress to keep her warm, and did the same with her own cream-colored cardigan. </p><p>From the bag she packed Hermione removed a large blanket, which she spread out across the grass to sit on, followed by a large bottle of never-pop bubbles from the joke shop. She also packed some snacks, and several British flags to wave when the time came.</p><p>Rose had been speeding around the grass waving her bubble wand for several minutes before Hermione felt a presence behind her. Her heart fluttered with reluctant excitement.</p><p>"There room on this blanket for two more?" </p><p>She nearly swooned at the sound of his voice, for which she mentally scolded herself for reacting like such a lovesick child. But it was him, he'd really come. She hadn't permitted herself to believe he would.</p><p>Hermione looked up at him with as casual a smile as she could imagine given the pounding of her heart. "I think I can make room," she said, moving over so that he had a place to sit. Before joining her, Draco set Scorpius on the ground, the platinum blonde three year old, who was dressed in a formal prince costume, took off after the bubble-twirling princess to play. "I can't believe you actually came," Hermione admitted, watching the toddlers play. She didn't know why she was so reluctant to look at him. It wasn't as though there was anyone around who knew them to see them together.</p><p>"I can't believe you're wearing that red lipstick I love so much," Draco answered, to which Hermione gasped and turned to him finally, smacking his arm playfully. She was blushing furiously, because she knew his mind was in the gutter.</p><p>"It matched the outfit," Hermione argued. </p><p>"Okay," Draco accepted with a smirk, and reached into his pocket for his mobile. He tapped away on his screen for a moment, before Hermione heard the familiar ping of a new message. 'For the record I prefer when your red lips are wrapped around my cock.' </p><p>Hermione read the message and her face turned as pink as the roses on her dress. "Draco Malfoy there are children here," she scolded him.</p><p>Draco laughed. "Why do you think I bothered with this ruddy device instead of saying it out loud? It's not like I suggested you should do it right here and now."</p><p>Hermione just shook her head, trying to force down the grin that she wore. "Isn't it amazing how little it takes for children to be friends at that age?" Hermione changed the subject, watching the children play. "They don't care what families they come from, they don't care about race, or social status, or blood status, or anything. They just see a person worthy of the same kindness as respect they wish to receive."</p><p>While Hermione was looking at the children, Draco was looking at Hermione, admiring her insight. “Have you ever thought about having more? You know, before everything went to shit?”</p><p>“More kids?” Hermione turned to Draco with a confused expression. “No. I mean, I decided after Hugo was born that I didn’t need another. And now…”</p><p>“I guess it’s not really an option now.” There was no way she could have a baby now. Ron would know it wasn’t his, and he wouldn’t pretend it was, not for her benefit. Nor would he want that. If she was going to have a baby he’d want it to be his, and he’d want the world to know it. Not that he was thinking about having a family with her. He wouldn’t allow himself such a thought. It would never happen, not between them.</p><p>“No,” Hermione agreed. “I guess not.”</p><p>“Well, at least we know that you’re not pregnant now, despite your intense ice cream cravings from the other night,” Draco said what a laugh, leaning back to watch the kids.</p><p>Hermione looked over at Draco with an eyebrow raised. “What makes you say that?”</p><p>“You know,” Draco said casually while Rose gave Scorpius a turn with her bubbles. “It being that special time of the month and all.”</p><p>Hermione laughed. “What makes you think it’s my special time of the month?” she questioned, both appalled and amused. </p><p>Draco looked back over at Hermione. “The sexless ice cream date?”</p><p>“The sexless ice cream date?” Hermione repeated back in a whisper. “Did it ever occur to you that I just wanted to spend some time with you with our clothes on?” She couldn’t help laughing again.</p><p>“So it’s not…” </p><p>“No, Draco, it is not my time of the month.” Come to think of it, Hermione couldn’t remember the last time she’d suffered such an affliction. Possibly not since catching Ron at the shop. </p><p>“Hypothetically speaking-”</p><p>“No,” Hermione cut Draco off quickly. She sat up straight, watching the children again. “Please don’t go there, Draco. That’s not an option.” </p><p>Draco tried not to let the rejection hit him. It wasn’t about him, he knew that. Even under the best of circumstances, even if she wasn’t married to Ron and he wasn’t married to Astoria, she still had her career to think about. If she kept popping out babies she would never be taken seriously as a leader. “And what about not so hypothetically…?”</p><p>Hermione could feel a mild panic rising in her. There were any number of reasons why she could be late. Stress, weight loss, or even just a fluke. It didn’t necessarily mean anything. “It doesn’t matter, I’m not pregnant. That’s just absurd.”</p><p>“But if you were-”</p><p>“But I’m not!” Hermione snapped, her breath quick and shallow. She got up off the blanket. The crowd down by the road was getting rowdy with cheer. “Come on, Rosie! They’re coming!” She grabbed the flags from her bag, tossing two of them at Draco while taking the other two to go gather her daughter, leading the way down toward the road to witness the couple’s arrival at the castle.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I blew it you guys! I'm a day late! This move is killing me, and I quite literally fell asleep in front of my computer last night trying to get this chapter finished. It feels like crap but I hope you enjoy it. A little bit a fluff, a little bit of angst...</p>
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<a name="section0026"><h2>26. The Princess and the Unicorn</h2></a>
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            <p>During Rosie's birthday party, Hermione and Ginny have a painfully honest heart-to-heart.</p>
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</div>The outing with Draco and Scorpius hadn’t gone as smoothly as Hermione could have hoped, and she was aware that it was her fault. She knew that they would have to talk about it, eventually. In fact they should have talked about it a long time ago, that great hypothetical question. Perhaps not so hypothetical these days. Ever since the parade she’d been thinking about what he’d said, and trying her hardest to pinpoint her last cycle.<p>She didn’t honestly think it was possible. She’d been using the same contraceptive since Hugo was born, religiously. She hadn’t told Ron, but she’d had an IUD put in place as soon after birth as it was medically safe to do so. She had her two children, it was all she wanted, and she wouldn’t put it past Ron to try for another. But it was a muggle contraception, and as much as she liked to think she could rely on modern western medicine, she couldn’t be entirely positive that it was failproof. </p><p>The hard part was, the idea of having a child with Draco wasn’t awful. All thoughts of her husband and his wife aside, she could see the two of them together, with their collective four children, the picture of a modern blended family. But she knew that that picture came with a lot of sacrifice, more than she was prepared for. Her career. Her family. The entire Weasley extension who were as good as blood to her. She would lose it all, she was sure of it.</p><p>After the parade Friday afternoon Rose refused to change out of her princess dress, and from that point on had insisted that she have a princess party for her birthday. Not wanting to crush her spirit despite her own troubles, Hermione contacted her mother and Mrs Weasley, informing them that Rose now wanted a princess themed party, which was scheduled for that weekend. They would need to think quickly to rearrange things, but she didn’t think it would be that difficult, and Molly certainly seemed pleased with the challenge. Ginny had been her only daughter, and she’d been too much a tomboy for such things even at a young age.</p><p>Sunday afternoon the garden at the burrow had been transformed into a celebration worthy of royalty. Rose was still wearing the dress that Draco had anonymously gifted her, and the only way Hermione had gotten her out of it was for her bath, and with the promise that she could wear it for her party. She would have to thank him, and apologize for her outburst. It wasn’t his fault that the very idea of being pregnant had set her into complete panic, and she wouldn’t be surprised if he was offended. She would be too, if the shoe was on the other foot. </p><p>“You know,” Ginny said, breaking Hermione from her thoughts over near the gift table. “I think there’s enough people in this family that we spend literally every other weekend here celebrating one of them.”</p><p>Hermione laughed, looking over at Ginny’s cheeky grin. “I think you might be right about that. Who needs scheduled monthly gatherings when we have several dozen birthdays to attend?” </p><p>“Exactly!” Ginny bit into a licorice wand. “So, when did Rosie become so interested in princesses? She’s running around in that gown like she’s royalty,” she laughed.</p><p>“Oh,” Hermione said with a grin. “Well she got the dress as a birthday gift, and I took her to the royal wedding celebration in London on Friday. I guess she’s been a little obsessed ever since.”</p><p>Ginny chewed on her wand a moment longer, and when she’d swallowed her bite she said. “Yeah, I heard Ron saying something to Harry about it. Seemed pretty worked up about your daughter getting a present.” The way Ginny raised her eyebrow in Hermione’s direction indicated that this statement was really a question. </p><p>Hermione sighed. “Ron’s being ridiculous, as usual. The package was anonymous, and he’s been suspicious of it ever since. Bloody ridiculous.”</p><p>“Why would he be suspicious of a gift? Who does he think it’s from?” Ginny couldn’t understand why it was a problem.</p><p>“Death eaters, obviously,” Hermione said with a knowing smirk. </p><p>“Hermione!” Ginny scolded her, but grinned as she bit off another piece.</p><p>“I’m just saying, he was an auror. I’m sure if a package showed up on your door with no name on it Harry would be the same way.” She looked over at their two husbands. “They’re probably over there trying to solve the mystery right now.” Hermione rolled her eyes as she sipped her rosé. One little glass of wine couldn't hurt anything.</p><p>“You’re probably right,” Ginny agreed, nodding thoughtfully. “So… The last time I saw you, you were starting to say something. Something about Ron and that girl at the shop…?” Hermione gave Ginny a warning look, but Ginny ignored it, airing her suspicion anyway. “He’s not… You don’t think he’s… cheating, do you?” She at least had the decency to whisper the question.</p><p>Hermione frowned, looking over at Ron briefly, and then back at Ginny. She couldn’t bring herself to answer the question, not in so many words anyway. “Marriage is complicated,” she said as if Ginny wouldn’t know. “We’re not nineteen anymore. Looking back on it now… I don’t know what we were thinking. We’d just come out on the other side of a war. Between hormones and grief and all the other range of emotions that comes with that kind of trauma… It must have made sense at the time. We loved each other.”</p><p>Ginny frowned, growing deeper the more Hermione spoke. “Are you two talking divorce?” she asked quietly.</p><p>Hermione shook her head sadly. “Divorce? Could you imagine? It’s such a double-standard, isn’t it? If a divorced man was making their way up to Minister, no one would think a thing of it. They’d consider him committed to the job, devoted, and it would be a qualifier. But a woman, a mother no less, getting a divorce and then trying to get into office? Could you imagine what they’d say about me? That I’m a bad mother. That I care more about my job than my family. That he traded me in for a younger, skinnier model, one that hasn’t pushed two babies out of her-” She swallowed down another large mouthful of wine. “I don’t want that, Gin.”</p><p>“Shit, Hermione…” Ginny looked around to ensure that no one else was listening. “So he is hooking up with that little tramp?” If she was hooking up with Ron, she was a tramp, end of story. “I knew it!” Her hand balled into a fist, squishing the licorice held in it.</p><p>Hermione shrugged. “Better her than me.” At Ginny’s wide-eyed response, she sighed. “Just because I won’t divorce him doesn’t mean I’m just going to let him touch me again.”</p><p>“How did you find out? He didn’t tell you?” Ginny didn’t honestly think her brother had the gull for a move like that.</p><p>“Absolutely not. No, I caught them…” She wasn’t sure how much she should tell. She looked down at her feet for a moment. “I didn’t react… gracefully. Let’s just say if there was any chance at redeeming our marriage after that night, I saw to it that that wasn’t possible.” She frowned. She didn’t regret her relationship with Draco, just that it overlapped with her relationship with Ronald.</p><p>“Hermione…” She wasn’t sure how much more of this she wanted to hear. The more she knew the more she would feel obligated to tell Harry. Then again, what if Harry already knew? “You don’t think… Harry wouldn’t happen to know about any of this, would he?”</p><p>Hermione laughed and finished off her wine. “I seriously doubt that. Ron would have come home with a black eye if he’d ever told Harry what he was getting up to. And if he tried to expose my indiscretions, I’m sure I’d have gotten an earful from Harry by now.” She sighed. “No, it’ll be Theo who hears all the dirty details. He and Nott are far too close for my liking. You know he’s dating my assistant now?” She shook her head.</p><p>“Nott and Stacy?” Ginny tried to picture it. “That poor girl.” Both women laughed loudly. “So does that mean you… hooked up with someone?” she asked Hermione with a frown after they’d calmed.</p><p>Hermione frowned. “I just… reacted.”</p><p>“With who?” Ginny asked with wild curiosity. </p><p>Hermione laughed and shook her head. “No, no way. I’m not telling you that. Ron’s been trying to get it out of me for weeks and I refuse to give up a name. Just because I have the misfortune of knowing who he's screwing doesn't mean…" Hermione surprised herself by getting choked up. She tried to act like it didn't hurt her, like her relationship with Draco cancelled out the pain of Ron's continuous infidelity, but it didn't, and the thought of him with another woman, women, still did hurt, very much.</p><p>Ginny gave her a sad, sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry, Hermione," she said, rubbing Hermione's arm soothingly. "I can't believe it. I mean I do, believe you. It's just… awful."</p><p>By the end of the party Hermione and Ron were gathering all of Rose's birthday loot while the children continued to play in the garden in what little sunlight remained. They packed up the toys in relative silence, and every so often Ron would look over at Rose and make a disgruntled noise. After the third time, Hermione set down Rose's new toy tea set loudly. "What exactly is your problem now?" She hissed at him.</p><p>"It's from him, isn't it?" Ron cut straight to the chase.</p><p>"What's from who?" She challenged, resuming separating presents from loose wrapping paper. </p><p>"The outfit. It's from your boyfriend, isn't it?" </p><p>Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly Ron, you're being ridiculous. How am I supposed to know who it came from?"</p><p>"I want to know who he is. It isn't right, you letting our daughter run around in a gift from-"</p><p>"From who, Ronald? Don't think I don't know who got her this!" Hermione held up a stuffed unicorn. </p><p>"You don't know-"</p><p>"Her name is written on the tag!" Hermione hissed, chucking the unicorn at his chest, where it bounced off and landed right back on the table it'd come from. </p><p>"Well at least I'm being honest about who I'm spending my time with," Ron argued hotly.</p><p>Hermione's mouth fell open. "Only because I caught you with your dick in her mouth!" she reminded him in a deadly whisper. </p><p>"Regardless, you're running around with some other bloke every weekend and I want to know who he is. I want to know who's fucking my wife!" Ron hissed back at her, having at least the decency to keep his voice low.</p><p>Hermione laughed darkly. "It's cute that you think I only see him on the weekend." With that she stuffed the last of the gifts into her large canvas tote bag and strode away, not wishing to indulge his childish demands any further. </p><p>That evening at the Potter household while Harry and Ginny were getting ready for bed, Ginny couldn't help but notice that Harry seemed a bit distressed. "Alright, what's the matter?" She asked him as she turned down the bed. </p><p>Harry opened his mouth to protest and say that nothing was wrong, but he realized quickly that she wouldn't buy it. "I overheard something rather disturbing today," he told her.</p><p>" Disturbing, like…?" She'd need more details than that. </p><p>"Like I think Hermione is having an affair," Harry told her plainly as he fluffed out his pillow. </p><p>Ginny gave him a surprised look. "Hermione? No. Harry…" Ginny sighed. "It's Ron, Ron's having an affair." She frowned, fluffing out her own pillow and laying it back on the bed.</p><p>"What?" Harry laughed at the absurdity. "No. I specifically heard them talking about it at the party. He wants to know who her boyfriend is. Says he wants to know who's fucking his wife."</p><p>Ginny paused, giving that a thought. "Harry, Hermione admitted to me that Ron has been cheating on her. She caught him in the act."</p><p>"Impossible," Harry stated definitively. "Ron's my best mate. I would know."</p><p>"Would you? Because Hermione seems rather certain that he wouldn't have the bullocks to tell you." Harry paused to think about that. While he did, Ginny carried on. "Hermione hasn't been happy for a while now," she informed him sadly. "I'd hoped it was just a slump, a rut, you know?"</p><p>"So you do think Hermione is having an affair?" Harry couldn't help wanting to believe that Ron hadn't crossed that line, not that he wanted Hermione to have either.</p><p>"No… I don't think so. Just the once... But I think if she is, it's only in reaction to his."</p><p>"But… If they're just going to punish each other with blatant adultery, why not just… call it quits?" He hated the idea of both of his friends suffering in a toxic marriage. </p><p>"She thinks it'll hurt her chances of becoming Minister one day." She frowned as she got into the bed and under the covers. "Can you imagine that? Working so hard to achieve your goals, record breaking goals, only to have it all blow up in your face because of a jealous husband?"</p><p>"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry asked as he got into the bed beside her. "Ron's never cared for politics."</p><p>"No, but he doesn't care much for being married to a politician, either, it seems. Instead of celebrating her accomplishments he'd rather sit home and pout."</p><p>"So what? They're just going to stay married and have their respective affairs until Hermione is named Minister of Magic?"</p><p>Ginny and Harry looked at each other as they settled onto their pillows. "Who is it Ron is seeing?" Harry asked. If Hermione had caught them, she must know.</p><p>"The eighteen year old girl who works in their shop, and apparently doesn't mind the extra jobs required," Ginny answered bitterly. "Who do you think Hermione could be seeing?" she asked thoughtfully, not really expecting Harry to have any sort of answer.</p><p>"Couldn't say," Harry replied with a sigh. "Seems awfully quick, doesn't it? Her having someone else immediately after catching him?"</p><p>"We don't know that," Ginny pointed out, but recalled what Hermione said about reacting. She almost made it sound she had hooked up with someone immediately. Maybe even the same night. Perhaps a harmless workplace flirtation turned not-so-harmless that night. </p><p>"I don't like this, Gin. They could make this really messy for themselves."</p><p>Ginny frowned. "I agree, but what can we do about it?"</p>
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          <p>Another no-smut chapter? I know, I'm sorry! But at least it's on time! Next week, sexy time, I promise!</p><p>As always please leave kudos and thoughts. I check my inbox like 50 times a day so don't break my heart leaving it empty! Love you all so much! I've got the best readers!</p><p>Also, what kind of kink would you like to see featured moving forward? What would you NOT like to see? I want to know!</p>
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<a name="section0027"><h2>27. The Mug</h2></a>
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</div>Over the course of the next few days Draco thought hard about what transpired on Friday. Hermione was clearly distraught, and still he was trying not to take it personally, but it felt personal. He told her he loved her and she'd said it back, even if she had seemed surprised by her own words. But he'd believed her, and he believed every utterance of the statement since. Even so, it pained him to realize that building a bigger, better family with her might not be in the cards. Not unless she one day soon decided she no longer wished to be Minister of Magic, or that she no longer felt personally responsible for ensuring a safe, fair, and just future for all of wizarding kind. But he knew that would never happen, and he could never, would never expect it of her.<p>It was Wednesday that they managed to schedule some time together again, and by then Hermione had worked up the nerve to purchase a pregnancy test. Not wanting to be seen purchasing any such potion, she'd opted for the muggle variety. At noon Hermione called Stacy into her office.</p><p>"Yes, Hermione?" Stacy asked from the doorway, having been ready to leave for lunch herself, since Hermione often took hers later in the day, if at all.</p><p>"Stacy I'm terribly sorry, but I have a very important lunch appointment. I'm afraid I need to be heading out early." The look of distraught on Stacy's face made Hermione frown. She didn't like to be the boss who thought her needs were more important than that of her employees.  "I'll probably be gone a while, but by all means, take your lunch. The community won't crumble if we're both away from our desks for an hour."</p><p>Stacy was visibly relieved. "Alright, sounds like a plan," she said with a smile. "Will there be anything for me to handle while you're gone, after my break?" A figure appeared behind her, tall, thin, with dark hair, and wrapped his arms around Stacy's middle. "Babe," Stacy squirmed in his hold in search of some sort of decency, blushing but grinning all the same. </p><p>"Awe, no worries, Love." Theo popped his head into the entryway. "Hermione and I go way back, don't we Granger?" </p><p>Hermione offered a tight-lipped smile, skin crawling at the sound of his voice. "All the way back to first year… That's Granger-Weasley," she reminded him, as she did many Slytherins over the years.</p><p>"Nah," Theo grinned wickedly. "I still like Granger."</p><p>There was a gleam in his eye, an "I know what you did" type of gleam, and her stomach turned. "Well, like I said…" Hermione stood from her desk, pushed in her chair, she donned her blazer. She picked up her bag, which hid the multiple brands of pregnancy tests inside, and slung it over her shoulder. "I've got an important appointment. You two have fun." </p><p>Theo moved and pulled Stacy by the waist out of the way as well. "Oh we will," he promised Hermione as she passed. "Tell my mate Weasley I said hello, yeah?"</p><p>Hermione forced a smile as she walked by. "You know I will."</p><p>"Has she always taken long lunches?" Theo inquired as Hermione entered the lift, releasing Stacy to collect her bag and coat. </p><p>"No," Stacy answered strongly. "In fact I don't think I'd ever seen her take a lunch break until a few months ago. If anything she just ate while she worked."</p><p>"Is that so?"</p><p>"Yeah." Stacy gave him a smile as he escorted her to the next arriving lift. "I think she might be spending them at a fitness club, though I'm not sure why she would keep that secret."</p><p>"What makes you think that?" He pulled the gate shut and selected the atrium level. The lift jolted into life, carrying them off to their destination. </p><p>Stacy set her bag at her feet and began pulling on her coat. "Well she always comes back exhausted but significantly more relaxed. And she's lost weight, have you noticed?"</p><p>"Hard not to," Theo agreed thoughtfully. "So she's not spending her lunches with anyone, you don't think?" He dropped the question as casually as possible. </p><p>"What? Like a workout buddy? Not that I'm aware of." Stacy shrugged. </p><p>Hermione left the ministry and made her way to a nearby alley, where she disaparated, arriving at the condo where Draco was already waiting. </p><p>"Did you get the… stuff?" Draco asked awkwardly, after greeting her with a hug. It was their first time alone since she blew up on him at the royal wedding.</p><p>"Yeah," Hermione told him, placing her bag on the table. She began extracting several colorful boxes of different brands. "I… want to sure. False results are rare. They can't all be wrong."</p><p>Draco eyed the half dozen options in awe. "Right," he agreed. "So how do you-"</p><p>"I pee on them," Hermione cut right to the chase. "But before I do… that, I think we should talk. I was wrong to blow you off before. We do need to have a plan."</p><p>"You don't want to find out first?" He for one was dying to know.</p><p>"No." Hermione shook her head. "We need to have this conversation with the assumption that we'll have to act on it. It's the only way." Draco nodded. There was a brief silence before Hermione spoke again. "I'll have it…" It was harder to say that she wished it to be.</p><p>"You will?" He didn't know she was surprised. She'd always been a voice for those without their own. </p><p>"Don't get me wrong, as a woman I believe that we should always have the right to choose what we do with our own bodies, including and not limited to giving birth. But as a mother…" She frowned, and took a large drink from a bottle of water she pulled from her purse. "We're not troubled kids desperate for a way out. We're adults. We're parents. How could I ever look at Rose and Hugo again if I took away their brother or sister?" She believed in the right to make such a choice, but that didn't mean she wished to ever make that choice herself. </p><p>Draco hadn't expected Hermione to get so emotional, and he wished he knew exactly what her turmoil might be. Was she upset because she'd rather allow herself to get rid of it? Was she upset with him for putting her in this predicament? For putting herself in this predicament? Or was she simply scared of the ramifications of having a child together while married to other people? In fact, that should likely be the next topic of discussion.</p><p>"And our marriages?" Draco dared to ask. "Do we… end them?"</p><p>Hermione sighed. "We may not have a choice. I can't imagine Astoria taking kindly to playing step-mum to your girlfriend's child."</p><p>"And Weasley’s pretty thick, but not thick enough to believe the baby could be his.” To his understanding, they hadn’t had sex since before Ron got caught. </p><p>“Right.” Hermione walked over to the living room and settled on one end of the couch, taking another large drink of water. Draco mirrored her on the sofa. “It wouldn’t take people long to figure out that I was pregnant before the divorce. I’d… be exposed. And unless by some mercy Ron would agree to admit that the marriage was over, that he’d cheated first...” She kept trying to think of ways to come out clean, but she didn’t think there was one. She was guilty of her sin, and if she was pregnant then, well, maybe being Minister of Magic had never been her fate. Or maybe it would work out anyway, somehow. “Do you think Astoria would give you a divorce?” Despite being uninterested in a romantic relationship with Draco, she seemed to have quite a problem with them as a couple.</p><p>“We’ve talked about it before. For Scorpius’ sake, it didn’t make sense then. The real question is whether or not she’ll drag our names through the mud in the process, just out of spite.”</p><p>Hermione huffed indignantly, which made Draco chuckle slightly. “Where does she even get off treating you like she does? Like you’re her property. This whole thing is her fault!” She drank deeply once more, finishing off her bottle.</p><p>Draco laughed. “Her fault? How do you figure?” He was quite interested in hearing what she had to say on this one.</p><p>“I figure because if it wasn’t for her inclination toward women, which I’m not judging, you wouldn’t have been in an open marriage in the first place. You wouldn’t have had the nerve to come on to me the night of that party, and we wouldn’t be sitting here about to find out whether or not I’m pregnant!” When she was done she gave Draco a stubborn look, which he tried very hard not to laugh at.</p><p>“Okay.” She wasn’t wrong, he had to give her that. “So you’d like me to demand a divorce then.”</p><p>She didn’t appreciate the patronizing way in which he said that. “Yes, actually, that would be nice. What authority should she have in the matter anyway?”</p><p>“Alright.” He knew Hermione was being serious, so he would be too. “If you’re pregnant, I’ll tell Astoria that we’re getting a divorce, and that I’m going to raise my child with you.”</p><p>Hermione leaned her head against the back of the couch, looking at Draco sadly. “What about the kids? You don’t think Astoria would ever give you custody?” Honestly she didn’t know. She assumed that a mother would choose to be with her child, but she didn’t know Astoria at all.</p><p>“I think if I gave her a large enough settlement she’d sail off into a sunset on a boat filled with beautiful naked women and never give us a second thought.” Draco could see that that wasn’t the answer Hermione was expecting. “Listen, Astoria loves Scorpius, but loving our son and loving being a mum are two very different things. I think she thought it was what she wanted, but… I don’t believe it is. I think she feels trapped.”</p><p>“I didn’t realize…” Hermione thought about that for a long moment. “Ron will challenge me, I think. He really does love being a dad, and I appreciate that, really, but I won’t let him take them, not without a fight.” Suddenly the vision of herself and Draco with their four children came to her mind again, and she couldn’t help but smile. As soon as she realized it, she groaned. “I need to pee.”</p><p>Draco waited anxiously in the kitchen while Hermione was in the loo. He paced back and forth, holding the back of his neck with both hands, fingers laced. On a completely selfish level he wanted it to be real. He wanted to get a divorce, and start over again with Hermione, to combine their families and live their lives together openly. But selflessly, he hoped that the tests were negative. He wanted Hermione to agree to be with him on her own terms, to climb the ladder of success, to become everything she dreamed of becoming. He wanted to watch from behind the curtain. He would suffer in silence for as long as it took if it meant that behind closed doors he could have her, Hermione Granger-Weasley, just a few short years away from being the youngest female Minister of Magic ever appointed. </p><p>After what felt like much too long Hermione returned, a mug in hand. From inside the mug, several long narrow sticks of plastic stuck out in every direction, all different sizes, shapes, and colors. “We’re throwing this away after,” Hermione informed Draco resolutely. The air lightened around them, and they both laughed. She set the mug on the marble countertop and stared, eyes scanning over each of the test strips in turn. If she was really two or three months pregnant, it wouldn’t take the tests long to read the necessary hormones, but so far, nothing.</p><p>“How long are they supposed to take?” Draco asked, watching her watch them, assuming she knew what she was looking for.</p><p>“Just a couple of minutes,” Hermione told him, eyes never leaving the mug. Silence hung between them as they both waited, and suddenly Hermione let out a sigh. “That’s long enough,” she decided. She pulled off a strip of paper towels from the holder and laid them across the counter. She pulled the first stick out of the mug and laid it down. “Negative,” she told him, reading a minus sign. Her heart began to hammer loudly as she laid out the second. “Negative,” she read again at the complete absence of a second line. “Not pregnant,” she said in response to a test that clearly displayed the words. “Negative.” Four of the six tests showed negative results, and Hermione looked over at Draco, having a hard time believing their luck.</p><p>“And the last two?” Draco asked, feeling as though he hadn’t allowed himself to breathe for the last two minutes. He watched Hermione remove the last two, one in each hand, and look them over. She set them down and looked over at Draco.</p><p>“Both negative.” Her heart was pounding violently in her chest now. She couldn’t believe it. She looked at Draco, and it suddenly occurred to her that they might have very mixed feelings about this news. She was elated. “Draco, I’m not pregnant.”</p><p>Draco stared at Hermione for a long moment, and she couldn’t read his expression, so contemplative but not remotely revealing, and then suddenly he was on her. His mouth on her mouth, his hands on her body. He lifted her up, and her legs wrapped around him immediately. He carried her not to the bedroom, as she’d originally expected, but to the other room, a room she was growing rather fond of. </p><p>Not five minutes later Hermione was nude, bent over a wedge shaped piece of furniture she’d never seen before, with her ankles clasped together behind her, and her wrists shackled together in front of her. Also in front of her Draco stood, straddling her arms, watching his cock disappear deep into her mouth. She looked up at him adoringly as she relaxed her throat, taking his length with practiced ease. He held her upright with a hand tangled in her hair, which she realized should have hurt, but instead it set her body on fire. She loved when he made love to her, but she dreamed of the days he fucked her like the shameless slag he’d turned her into. </p><p>He thrust into her open mouth, not minding the occasional scraping of her teeth that couldn’t be helped, or the way she jolted ever so slightly when she thought she might gag. Only when he saw a tear escape from her eye, the other watering and threatening to do the same, did he pull her head away, watching his cock spring out in front of her, thick ropes of saliva hanging between his head and her lips.</p><p>Hermione gasped. “I thought you would be upset,” she told him, slightly confused. “I thought you’d want…”</p><p>“I thought so too,” Draco told her, tracing the tip of his dick over her lip to clean up the spit. “Until I realized that if you were pregnant I wouldn’t dream of doing this.” He walked away from her and out of view. She tried to turn her head to follow but when she did he slapped her backside with an object she couldn’t see or picture in her mind. She looked forward again obediently. She could hear him messing around with something behind her, and the mystery was both maddening and elating. A moment later she was surprised by the sting of several dozen thin silicone strips clashing with her bare buttcheek. Hermione cried out in surprise, and her pussy clenched down with excitement.</p><p>“No, I dare say you would-.” She was interrupted by her own moan as the same toy slapped roughly against her other cheek. Even though she knew logically that having her arse whipped by a sex toy couldn’t possibly harm an unborn child, that didn’t mean Draco would be very well inclined to perform such an aggressive act against his pregnant lover, and she appreciated that about him. In fact, she was afraid that Mister Malfoy would have had to retire altogether, and she would have missed him greatly. </p><p>He lashed her a total of six times, before quite suddenly his apparently lubed up cock was inserted in her rear entrance. Hermione cried out in pleasure as he took her roughly, wasting no time. They would both need to be getting back to the Ministry soon, and preferably not at the exact same time. She moaned loudly as he spread her cheeks apart with both hands, providing a perfect view of her asshole as it repeatedly swallowed every inch of him. “Oh fuck, Draco, that’s so good. Harder!” She squirmed, unable to move or touch herself or him in any way as much as she craved it. If she could only rub on her clit she’d be cumming in no time, she was sure of it. Not that it mattered much. At the pace he was going, the intensity with which he pounded into her, and the way her pussy, dripping with need from her lashings, was forced up against the pleather-covered foam wedge, she was only moments away from climax anyway.</p><p>Draco adjusted his footing, planting both feet on the floor and leaning over her, holding onto her waist as he thrust into her at full force. She wasn’t pregnant. Nothing had to change. She was still his Lioness, and him her Mister Malfoy. With that happy thought in mind, accompanied by the familiar cry of his lover’s orgasm as it washed over her, Draco filled her ass, pushing the milky cum out with each additional thrust until there was nothing left.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Okay so it's not the level of smut and kink that I promised, I KNOW. But I'm working on it. Next chapter PURE SEXY TIME I promise!!!</p>
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<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Working Lunch</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hermione and Draco make a daring attempt at a normal lunch date, only to have it regretfully interrupted by the most inconvenient of guests.</p>
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</div>Draco arrived back at the office nearly a half hour before Hermione, giving her time to clean herself up. It was always important not to return to the Ministry at the same time. Truth be told, he was disappointed, but he was also relieved. Neither one of them were prepared to make the changes that they discussed. They'd have done it, but he was glad they didn't have to. He did like things the way they were, mostly.<p>The next couple of weeks proceeded as normal, and the Thursday after next Draco and Hermione happened to catch the same lift while leaving for the evening.  There were a couple other occupants, but much to their surprise they got off on another floor, leaving the two of them alone.</p><p>"So I was thinking," Hermione said to deal, not daring to look at him for fear he would jump her, and she'd let him. "Tomorrow we should have lunch."</p><p>"Lunch?" He wasn't sure why she'd phrased it that way while they were alone. Did she think the lift was bugged?</p><p>"Yes, lunch," Hermione confirmed with a nod. "As in the meal." She chanced a glance in his direction to see his reaction. </p><p>Draco couldn't help but grin, and when she looked he caught her eye. "Lunch, the meal, tomorrow." He nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I think I can make that work." The last time they'd tried to simply grab lunch together they'd wound up going at it in the restroom. Maybe they'd have more self control this time. </p><p>“I’ll put it on my schedule,” Hermione agreed with a nod. “Twelve?”</p><p>Draco hesitated slightly. “One is better,” he informed her.</p><p>Hermione thought about that as well. “I can make one work,” she confirmed. They’d almost made it to the atrium now, and Draco closed in on her suddenly, kissing her passionately until the familiar chime of the elevator bell told them they’d reached a new floor. Draco pulled away and made his leave, leaving the somewhat breathless witch behind to collect herself. Only slightly flustered, Hermione made her way to the next available floo.</p><p>The following morning when Hermione arrived at the office she made a few rearrangements on her schedule, clearing the time between one and two o’clock for her lunch date with Draco. ‘Working lunch with DM’ she wrote down in her planner. Outside her office, her assistant Stacy had a similar planner, which was charmed to mirror Hermione’s keeping the assistant up to date on Hermione’s schedule in real time.</p><p>Her Friday morning carried on like any other. Deadlines, meetings, and so very much paperwork. It had been brought to her attention several times that she could hire someone to proof her documents, but she never trusted anyone to be as thorough as herself. It was a more or less completely normal morning. The only annoyance was Stacy's boyfriend continuously finding reasons to hang around her desk. She wanted to say something about it, but it'd yet to have a negative impact on Stacy's work, and she didn't want to reprimand her for simply having poor taste in men.</p><p>Just before one, Hermione slipped off to the loo to freshen up. She and Draco had agreed to meet at the restaurant, the location decided upon over text the night before. She thought for sure she'd beat him there, ever the punctual type, but he must not have had an issue with slipping out of the office a bit early, because he was already seated when she arrived. The instinct to greet him with a kiss nearly overtook her, but she resisted. </p><p>"Thanks for meeting me," she said instead as he helped push her chair in. </p><p>"I wouldn't dare refuse," Draco told her with a smirk, seating himself again across from her. </p><p>Hermione couldn't keep her cheeks from burning with the grin he brought out of her, and she detracted from this embarrassing feature (which she was sure presented in a deep shade of pink in her cheeks) with a long drink of the water that was in front of her. The last time they'd been out in public he'd taken her in the restaurant restroom. She remembered it fondly, the day they solidified their affair. The day he offered to be her outlet. She'd had no idea then what would become of the two of them. She never could have known then that they would manage to fall in love. </p><p>"What are you thinking about over there," Draco cut through her ponderings with a knowing grin. </p><p>Hermione bit her bottom lip, dragging her teeth off of it as she opened her mouth to answer, but just then she noticed another couple out of the corner of her eye. "Oh hell…" She groaned as they spotted her. "You've gotta be bloody kidding me…"</p><p>Draco looked over his shoulder to see Theo Nott and Hermione's assistant, Stacy something-he-couldn't-remember. "Seriously?" He groaned as they approached. </p><p>"Oh!" Stacy said as the couple reached their table. "Draco Malfoy. I didn't even think of that." She laughed, looking over at Theo. Hermione wondered if they’d had a prior conversation speculating her lunch partner.</p><p>Theo looked between the two of them, looking far too smug for Draco’s liking. He knew Theo. They grew up together, same house, same year. They’d been friends, leading up to sixth year, when Draco realized that he had more important things to bother with than petty drama and skirt chasing. “Yes,” he said to Stacy, though his eyes were on Draco. “I never would have guessed that either.”</p><p>"Who did you think I was meeting?" Hermione inquired with a forced smile. She'd just wanted one mellow afternoon with her lover. A lunch date. With their clothes on. Was that really so bloody much to ask?</p><p>Stacy shrugged. “Darrel Montgomery, I figured,” she answered. “About that transportation regulation. I didn’t realize you were working on anything new with games and sports.” It wasn’t very often such rules needed changing.</p><p>“Well that’s why I asked her,” Draco spoke up. He’d prepared for this, just in case they were seen together. “There’s been a lot of trouble lately with wizards gambling on muggle sports. And by gambling, I mean cheating. I’m not sure the point as I can’t imagine what they’d want with all those pounds, but it’s gotten a bit out of hand, and unfortunately there’s nothing against such activities.”</p><p>“Yet,” Hermione added as if she had any idea what he was talking about. “Of course Malfoy was only just beginning to go into details. We’ve just sat down ourselves.” Go away, go away, how she wished they’d just go away.</p><p>“Really?” Theo enthused. “That does sound rather interesting. Do you mind if we join you? You don’t mind, do you sweetheart?” Theo turned to Stacy to see if she approved of the change of plan, and she shrugged.</p><p>“I don’t see why not. Lets.”</p><p>Hermione could have screamed as she watched, helplessly, as the table for two became a table for four, and a few minutes later they had all put in their food orders. Oh how she wished she hadn’t single-handedly been responsible for banning the casual lunchtime alcoholic beverage. Now she knew why business professionals such as themselves needed the mid-day drink. The afternoon happy-hour special on the table card between them was taunting her.</p><p>Draco’s ability to come up with a complex problem on the fly as he’d done was, to say the least, impressive. Before terribly long the two Slytherins had fallen deep into a conversation about sports, which Hermione had zero interest in, muggle or wizarding variety alike. By the time they’d finished with their food Hermione was bored out of her mind, and resorted to chatting with Stacy about her blossoming relationship with Theo. They’d only been seeing each other for two weeks, Hermione was surprised to have pointed out to her, but it felt like so much longer in Hermione’s mind.</p><p>“He knows,” Hermione said to Draco later that evening when the kids had been put to bed. She’d texted Draco, asking him to meet her so that they could talk. “Nott, he knows. I know he does.”</p><p>Draco watched Hermione pacing up and down the length of the living room. She was clearly stressed, he was too, but he also thought that Hermione might be being a bit paranoid. “Do you really believe that?”</p><p>“Yes!” Hermione answered impatiently. “Don’t you understand? Theo only began seeing Stacy, a girl nearly ten years his junior with whom he has nothing in common-”</p><p>“How do you know they’ve got nothing in common? Hermione be reasonable, what reason would he possibly have to believe that you and I are having an affair.” He hated that phrase, but it did seem the most appropriate one to use in that moment.</p><p>“Because he and Ron are friends. Drinking mates! Theo is the one person who Ronald can share his darkest and dirtiest thoughts with. Things he can’t say in front of me, or of Harry, or anyone else in our lives.” She thought she must have told Draco about their friendship before now, but maybe she hadn’t.</p><p>“Nott and Weasley? Drinking buddies?” His skepticism earned him a sharp look from the pacing witch, who paused only briefly to throw it at him. “Alright, and you’re sure Weasley has told him everything?”</p><p>Hermione paused again, letting out a heavy sigh and leaning against the dining room table behind her. “He started seeing Stacy immediately after I refused to tell Ronald who it was I was leaving to see. You want me to believe that’s just a coincidence?” She stared at him, expecting an answer.</p><p>“Alright, that is a bit suspicious, I’ll give you that.” Theo did like them young but he’d never shown interest in that doe-eyed eager to please type, not that Draco could recall. Maybe she was on to something after all.</p><p>“See?” She deflated, drained from all of the conspiracy theories running through her mind. </p><p>Draco walked over to her and placed his hands on her waist, pulling her closer to him. “Do you think Ron is going to do something when he finds out who I am?” </p><p>Hermione pouted, looking up at him. “I don’t know,” she told him. “Maybe if you were anyone else no, but considering…” After all the years of bullying, torment, and abuse, Draco was not only the least likely candidate for her to want to be with, but also the most offensive partner she could have possibly chosen, in Ron’s eyes. Of course she’d known that the night at the party when they’d first hooked up. It’d been part of what influenced her choice. Plus, she’d never really gone into detail with Ron after Hogwarts about how she and Draco had become friendly. “He might make a big fuss about it, just because it’s you.”</p><p>Draco could see how that could be problematic. “A big fuss as in tell your family? Or a big fuss as in out you publicly?” They were two very different brands of punishment.</p><p>Hermione thought about that, and that reminded her of something else she’d been meaning to tell him. “I’m not sure, but since you brought it up… Ginny knows, about Ron’s affair. And… she knows that I hooked up with someone, thought she doesn’t know its you, and she doesn’t know it’s still happening.”</p><p>To say that he was surprised would be an understatement. “I’m guessing he didn’t out that information about himself. Whatever could have possessed you to tell her all that?”</p><p>Hermione sighed in agitation. “It was Ron’s birthday, and Ihad had quite a bit to drink, and I was just… so over the very idea of celebrating him for any reason.” She shook her head. “I must have let something slip, because she brought it up at Rosie’s party.” She smirked a bit. “Ron was rather upset about that princess gown you know. Kept demanding to know where it came from. Rosie never wanted to take it off.” She leaned up and kissed him. “Thanks for that, by the way.”</p><p>Draco kissed her back, giving her middle a slight squeeze as he did so. “I’m just glad I got the opportunity to see her in it, however brief a visit it was.”</p><p>With a groan Hermione hung her arms loosely over his shoulders. “I know, I know. I’m so sorry I was so horrible that day. You didn’t deserve it one bit. I was just… freaking out.”</p><p>Wrapping his arms around her middle in response, Draco pulled her closer still. “Don’t fret about it, really. I was a little freaked out myself.” That wasn’t entirely true, but it was true enough that he didn’t mind saying it to make her feel better.</p><p>“I know you say that, but I feel like I ruined that whole outing. I wanted the kids to get more time to play, but I-” </p><p>She was interrupted with his lips suddenly on hers, and she smiled, melting into his arms as he pulled her out of her spiraling thoughts of regret. He did seem to know just how to keep her from spinning out. She moaned happily, to which he growled.</p><p>“I have to be back home soon,” Hermione told him regretfully. “I told Ron I was just going to run an errand.”</p><p>“I don’t know what you mean.” Draco pulled away from Hermione and turned her suddenly, pressing her into the glass table now in front of her. Hermione gasped and then giggled. He kicked her feet apart, and she complied quickly, feeling his hands sliding up her legs as he pushed her dress up around her waist. She braced herself against the table, and a moment later she felt his mouth between her legs, his face buried between her cheeks as he licked, lapped, and prodded at both her puckered arse and her moist cunt. </p><p>Hermione moaned loudly as his mouth explored her anus, hands spreading her cheeks for better access. “Oh fuck, Draco…” she moaned, knees going weak. She shifted her weight, attempting to keep standing as he devoured both orifices. There was decidedly a very long line at the market. Perhaps a robbery attempt as well.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So, I myself and greatly dissatisfied by the lack of smut in the last few chapters, so I vow here and now that next week's chapter will be ALL SMUT. Did I say that last week? I probably did, but plot progression must take place! Things are getting juicy!</p>
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<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Room with a View</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Pure Dramione smut, as promised.</p><p>Contains aggressive oral sex, ass-eating, fingering, anal-fingering, vaginal sex, anal sex, etc</p>
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</div>Hermione stood in front of the glass wall facing out over the city. It'd been two weeks since Theo and Stacy disrupted their lunch date, and Theo had yet to make a move against them, she supposed because he didn't yet have enough evidence. So for now she was going to enjoy what peace she could find, such as that of the slow drag of the zipper on the back of her dress, being drawn down by a strong but soft hand.<p>"I love this view at night," she told him for probably the tenth time. It was raining, water dripping in steaks, racing down the oversized pane of glass. Everything looked brighter, shinier, in the city lights.</p><p>"I know you do," he replied, having heard it probably ten times. "That's why tonight I'm going to let you watch it while I fuck you," he said to her softly as the straps to her dress were pushed over her shoulders and down her arms. "And while you're watching the city, the city will be watching you."</p><p>Hermione felt a rush of moisture catch in her knickers, creating a creamy wet spot in response to his promise. Her dress fell away from her easily, it was a size too large anymore, and when the chill of the air hit her her nipples hardened quickly inside her unlined lace bra. She hummed softly at the way his hands smoothed down her chilled arms before slipping to her waist, where he pushed the gathered material of her garment down to her feet. She kicked it away with her high heeled knee-high boots unceremoniously. </p><p>"Turn around," Draco ordered her as he removed his belt from its loops. </p><p>"But you just said-"</p><p>"I know what I said," Draco agreed patiently. "Now turn around."</p><p>Hermione did as she was told, trusting him to keep his word and not wanting to face the consequence of disobedience. She did so and she saw he was shirtless now, his belt in hand. Her cunt and ass alike clenched with excitement. </p><p>"Down," he told her, nodding downward. She complied more quickly this time, and with another nod giving his approval, she set to freeing his hardness from its Armoni prison. </p><p>This was what she craved, what this whole affair began with, her need to be dominated. It'd been far too long since he'd gone fully into character. She didn't know what to expect but she was sure she'd love it. He knew her better now. Her likes, her dislikes, how different parts of her body reacted to certain stimuli. </p><p>She leaned in, instinctively ready to take him into her mouth, but he pulled his hips back and tangled his fingers into her hair, stopping her.</p><p>"You ask for what you want," Draco reminded her coolly, bordering on reprimand. </p><p>Hermione nodded eagerly. "Yes sir."</p><p>"Now what is it you'd like to do?"</p><p>"Suck your cock, please, sir." She looked up at him through mascara coated lashes, mouth falling open just a bit. She licked her lips and bit the bottom one, holding it between her teeth as she awaited his answer.</p><p>It was quite the sight to behold, the strong, powerful, ass-kicker of a woman, half naked, on her knees, begging to suck him dry. He was convinced he was the luckiest man in the world, and the way she dragged her teeth across her lip until it bounced free, swollen and red, made his cock bounce in reply, ready to greet her. </p><p>He dragged it out, relishing in her attentiveness. Draco looped his freed belt around her neck, holding both ends in his hands between them. He wrapped the extra length inside of each fist, drawing her closer. Finally, after what felt more like thirty minutes than thirty seconds, Draco smirked. "Open wide, Lioness."</p><p>As soon as she complied, Draco plunged deep into her throat. He paired his rapid thrusts with the tugging of his belt, drawing her in. Her eyes were wide, her throat relaxed as she made every effort not to gag or choke. Instead she stroked the underside of his dick with her tongue, it was the only contribution she could think to make in this otherwise helpless face-fuck. </p><p>Hermione marveled at her own willingness to endure such treatment. If someone were to have asked her before her relationship with Draco if she would let her husband, or any man, use her mouth in such a way she would have given a resounding no! But here she was, letting Draco effectively fuck her mouth, and she was actually turned on by it. </p><p>Finally he released her, long strings of saliva breaking off and dropping down her neck and chest. With the belt, Draco pulled his lioness to her feet and drew her in for a wet kiss. She kissed him back eagerly, still feeling a bit breathless. When his lips parted from hers, he spun her around quickly, belt remaining around her neck, and pressed her into the window pane. He was nothing if not a promise keeper.</p><p>With a smile on her lips, Hermione placed both hands on the glass, bracing herself. He pressed his front against her backside, and she could feel him between her legs, touching her, fingers bypassing her lace thong and gliding back and forth through the wetness of her cunt, before he stuffed two fingers easily inside of her. With one leg she stepped open just the smallest but, giving him more room between her legs to work, and to get a better footing.</p><p>Draco pulled his fingers out of her and dragged the wet digits around to her front and upward until finally finding her mouth. She sucked and licked the fingers clean of her own sticky excitement, something that no longer phased her. He used the clean hand to finish removing his pants, stepping out of them and kicking them behind him. He took his hard length in hand and teased the velvety head against her wet opening. </p><p>Hermione gasped as she felt him at her entrance, threatening to let himself in. She reached up and took hold of the grab bar Draco had recently installed for just such an occasion, suction cupped to the glass and reinforced with a permanent sticking charm. She could feel the head pushing inside of her, and then it was gone again. She whimpered her disappointment, which was cut short by a gasp as he pushed in just the same, this time into her backside. The tight hole swallowed him, and clenched angrily when the appendage was removed. Hermione whined her complaint. He was taunting her.</p><p>"You want this?" Draco teased both holes, in and out, sometimes deeper, sometimes only barely.</p><p>"Please!" She begged without shame, voice straining against the belt. The restriction didn't bother her. In fact she found it rather turned her on, or at least, it definitely got her heart pounding with excitement. </p><p>"Please what?" He asked, pushing halfway into her heat.</p><p>"Please fuck me!"</p><p>Draco smirked and finally pushed deep into the wetness of his Lioness. She leaned forward, pushing her bottom half toward him as he began to slam up into her. </p><p>"Ooh fuck yes!" Hermione cried out, clutching the grab bar with a white-knuckle grip. While his penetration wasn't as deep as others they frequented, the angle was so direct to her pleasure-point that she could feel her knees shaking. After a couple of minutes of moaning against the glass the belt slipped away, freeing her to breathe properly again. The sudden rush of blood and oxygen to her brain made her dizzy, and she laughed as her knees buckled underneath her once more.</p><p>Draco caught her by the waist and drew her to him with each thrust. She was on the brink of climax, he could feel it in the way her body tensed within his grasp. He pushed harder, bucking straight into that sweet spot that the shallow position aligned him toward. </p><p>"Ooh God!" Hermione clawed pointlessly at the window, desperate for something more to hold on to. She reached back and held into Draco's leg, fingernails digging into his skin. "Oh god, oh shit, Draco!" It was unbearably intense, and her legs burned with the strain of holding her upright through such torturous pleasure. </p><p>Draco didn't let up until Hermione slumped forward against the glass, the hand gripping the bar loosing and sliding slowly down the rain-spattered pane. He pulled out of her and she reacted immediately, turning and dropping onto her heels in front of him. She took his sticky length deep into her mouth, savoring the flavor of her orgasm until Draco pulled her away by her hair. She gasped with the sudden intake of air and grinned up at him. "You fucking amaze me," Draco told her, pulling her into a rough kiss.</p><p>A minute later he was inside of her again, bent over the arm of the couch, her front pressing into the couch cushion as he slammed into her with the depth he'd previously been denied. He braced on foot onto the couch cushion beside her, bringing their bodies as close as possible with every movement of his hips. As he took her, he spit lightly into his fingers before smearing the slickness into her unoccupied hole, which swallowed the digits with greed. He fingered her slowly in contradiction to his thrusting, feeling the movement within the other passage with each passing. </p><p>"Yes, oh god that feels so good…" she moaned.</p><p>"Tell me." Merlin he loved to hear the words out of her mouth. He loved how she begged. He loved that she needed it badly enough to do so. </p><p>"Please!" She shuddered, toes curling within her boots. The added stimulation of his fingers working her rosebud open was almost too much.</p><p>"Please what? Use your words, Lioness…" </p><p>"Mister Malfoy, please fuck my ass," she requested politely, her voice heavy with need. His fingers slammed into her as deep as they could go and Hermione cried out in surprise. His cock stilled inside of her and he used just the two digits to draw her closer to another orgasm. "Fuck, oh fuck! Draco please! Please, I need your cock!"</p><p>The fingers slid slowly out of her, and he slapped her hard with that same hand, leaving a sticky hand print across her right cheek. She cried out and then laughed. "Turn around and take off your bra."</p><p>Hermione heeded his order, turning over onto her back. She carefully reached behind her and detached her bra, pulling it off and tossing it over the back of the couch. She left her hips on the arm of the couch, so that it rested just on the small of her back, and she held her weight on her upper back and shoulders. She looked up at him and smiled. He smirked his most wicked smirk as he pulled off her underwear and tossed them aside as well. </p><p>He dropped down spoiling her dripping cunt and ass alike with his tongue, before standing up again. "You ready?" he teased.</p><p>"For Merlin's sake, Draco!" Hermione laughed, impatient now. A quick slap to her cunt made Hermione's body shake with a sudden jolt of pleasure. "Sorry, Mister Malfoy," she corrected herself.</p><p>Draco smirked down at her and grabbed her waist, pulling her forward a smidge, before pushing her legs back toward her. She locked her arms around the bend of her legs, holding them in place while Draco pressed the head of his cock into her puckered hole, pushing easily inside. </p><p>"Ooh yes!" Hermione moaned out as she was filled. Even after all this time she never could believe how intense a feeling it was to be stretched in this way, or how good it felt as he moved in and out of her over and over. </p><p>He was taking his time now, staring down at where their bodies met. "Touch yourself," he instructed, picking up his speed just slightly. "I want to see you play with your pussy."</p><p>Hermione would on occasion rub her own clit while he fucked her, but never at his instruction, and the way he said it, she thought, was incredibly hot. "Yes sir," she agreed. She released one leg and he took hold of it for her, and reached down between them, stuffing two, then three fingers inside of her soaked cunt. She couldn't believe how wet and sticky she was, and she found herself smearing that wetness between her nether lips, swirling it over her pleasure nub. Her head fell back and she moaned as Draco picked up his pace inside of her, and shoved her fingers back inside in order to feel his length gliding in and out of the neighboring cavern. She squirmed, rolling her hips, and her breath grew short as it was interrupted with sounds of pleasure.</p><p>“Fucking hell…” The visual effect was everything he’d hoped for and more, and he was quickly edging closer to a finish. He didn’t want to give in, but he knew that she was already going on her third, at least, and he envied her ability to cum over and over again. </p><p>“Harder, please!” As nice as it was for him to glide so pleasantly inside of her, she wanted to be pounded hard and fast, as he was so good at doing. He’d spoiled her, in a way she didn’t know she wanted. She craved it, she dreamed about it, and when they were at work she often envisioned him taking her roughly on the conference table in front of everyone. “Fuck me hard and fill me with cum!”</p><p>Draco laughed. She was so demanding tonight! He considered punishing her for her demands, but decided to let it go. They wanted the same thing, after all. Punishing her would be counterproductive. Besides, he loved it when she knew what she wanted. He refused to believe she could have ever been this way with Weasley, and knowing that she was able to let loose in this way for him and only for him meant everything. “You want my cum?”</p><p>It was her favorite part, the part where he neared completion. He always worked extra hard to ensure that she found one more climax before allowing his own release. This time she aided in that effort, rubbing herself hard and squirming beneath him. “Yes!” she encouraged him. “Yes, please!” It was her prize, she’d realized at some point throughout their relationship. A thick, milky, sticky prize. She liked it inside of her, and on her, and she even enjoyed tasting it. She wasn’t sure if it set her back as a feminist or if she was embracing it all the more. Quite frankly when she was with him she didn’t care. She didn’t know two people could be capable of the things they did and still look each other in the eye monday through friday, and yet somehow they managed it.</p><p>It was a great thing, Draco thought, for her to want him to finish as badly as he wanted to do so. He grabbed her hand, pulling it away from her pussy and sucking the fingers clean while he bucked wildly into her, the room filling with the sound of slapping flesh and deep moans. Finally, Draco toppled over the edge, grunting as he shook a few final thrusts within her. His cock pulsated, buried deep inside of her, as he emptied his seed into the fruitless chamber.</p><p>Their bodies stilled, and for a moment all that was heard was their breathing. It was Hermione who broke the silence, chuckling quietly to herself. Draco withdrew carefully and helped the witch up, pulling her forward to sit on the couch arm in front of him. </p><p>“I’m going to ruin the upholstery,” she warned, very aware of what was leaking out of her, and rising carefully on shaking legs to her feet. Draco took her waist to steady her. </p><p>“It’s one charm away from clean,” Draco reminded her, tucking her messed hair behind her ear.</p><p>Hermione grinned up at her lover. “Next time…” she told him with a grin. “I have a surprise for you.”</p><p>Draco raised an eyebrow, fascinated. “Is that so?”</p><p>“Yes,” she told him with a grin. She kissed him deeply and pulled away, walking tight-cheeked toward the bedroom.</p><p>“And just where do you think you’re going?”</p><p>“To shower, you pervert,” Hermione answered, and looked back over her shoulder at him. “Wanna join me?”</p>
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          <p>So, not so much kinky, unless you're an exhibitionist like myself, in which case the very idea of being seen while pressed into that window taking it hard and fast is in and of itself...  nevermind, hope you enjoyed!!! Got some major plot development to come. Ooooh, the drama!</p>
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<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Nott a Chance</h2></a>
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</div>Another Tuesday evening meant that Hermione was heading home a little early to get the kids, just as she'd always done. It was just a few days after that erotic rainstorm experience, and the thought of it still had Hermione smiling even as she stepped onto the empty lift. She had just selected her floor when another person slipped through the closing doors and joined her. Hermione rolled her eyes when she saw who it was.<p>"Nott," she greeted him, looking forward at the wall instead of at him, which meant she missed the way his eyes scanned over her body.</p><p>"Looking good these days, Granger," he told her, biting his lip as his eyes lingered over her bust, which was more showy lately, her blouses less buttoned as of late. "Been getting lots of exercise from what I hear, and it's working." </p><p>Hermione could hear it in his voice, that it wasn't just a compliment, but a suggestion. What it was he was trying to suggest she wasn't sure. She turned to him finally. "I don't think it's very polite to be ogling your mate's wife," she reprimanded him. </p><p>“Wife!” Theo barked out a laugh. “That’s right, the two of you are still keeping up with that charade, aren’t you?” He shook his head, and Hermione glared.</p><p>“Despite whatever he’s told you, our marriage is none of your business,” she told him firmly.  She realized that the elevator hadn’t moved, and reselected the atrium level.</p><p>“You see,” Theo went on, as if she hadn’t spoken at all. “When I see you, I don’t see a wife.” He took a step toward her, and Hermione took a step back. “When I look at you I see a lying,” he advanced again. “Cheating,” one more step, and Hermione no longer had any further back to move. Her back hit the wall. “Death eater fucking, whore.” Her hand rose quickly to slap him but he expected it, and caught her wrist easily.</p><p>“How dare you!” she growled angrily. She ripped her wrist from his grip, and he boxed her in, both hands on the wall outside of her shoulders. </p><p>“I mean, if I had known that you were so into Slytherins,” Theo carried on as if she hadn’t just tried to hit him. </p><p>If looks could kill, Hermione was sure he’d have set on fire by now. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she denied. He had no proof of anything, that she knew of, and she had no intention of offering a confession. “Whatever you think you know, you’re wrong.”</p><p>"I know that you're fucking someone, or multiple someones," Theo began thoughtfully, narrowing the space between them. "I know that you rarely take a lunch break but when you do, it just so happens to be at the same time as Draco Malfoy." His lip curled in what started out as a smirk, but turned into more of a sneer, like he wasn't amused after all. "I know that you come back to work appearing very, satisfied," he whispered the last word into her ear.</p><p>Hermione got chills, and not in a pleasant way. It still wasn't very solid evidence, but it was enough that she knew she'd have trouble convincing him otherwise. "Lots of people take lunches between one and two. It's perfectly normal," she argued. </p><p>"Ah," Theo exclaimed. "Yes, that is true, but not all of those people have the same kind of raw sexual chemistry that you two reportedly have."</p><p>"Reportedly? Who on earth is claiming that Draco Malfoy and I have raw sexual chemistry?" She demanded to know, sounding appalled, which was really a cover for being completely panicked. Were they really that obvious? How could that be? They were so careful! Who was saying these things? "And he's married, happily so, in case you'd forgotten."</p><p>"Ooh I'm sure it's a very happy marriage, with how much pussy they all get," Theo showed his card, letting her know that he was in on the Malfoys' dirty little secret. </p><p>Hermione tried to pretend she had no idea what he was talking about. Her heart was hammering in her chest. When had the lift stopped? They weren't moving, and she suddenly couldn't breathe. "I don't understand what you're talking about," she denied, voice trembling. </p><p>"Stop lying!" He slammed his hand against the wall next to her, making her jump. "I know you're fucking Malfoy every chance you get, and I can't wait to tell that husband of yours just who it is you've been sneaking out with every chance you get. And besides, which of us is he more likely to believe?"</p><p>Hermione glared at him, heart still pounding painfully in her chest, blood rushing loudly in her veins. "Is this the reason you've been seeing Stacy? Just to spy on me? To use her for information?" She knew he couldn't be trusted, but to stoop so low as to bring another person's feelings into the mix? It was deplorable! It was very slytherin of him, in the worst way possible.</p><p>"Stacy." He grinned thoughtfully. "Yes, she's a lovely girl. So sweet, caring, attentive. Top-notch pussy, as well… Who knows, I may stick with her a while." He smirked down at her again. "Of course I hear you've got a top-notch pussy as well, despite all the damage done. In fact, I might even be persuaded to keep what I've learned to myself, if I could take a spin."</p><p>"As if I would ever!" Hermione growled, and pushed him roughly away from her. She restarted the lift, wanting to get far away from him as quickly as possible. </p><p>Theo's eyes narrowed dangerously. He didn't appreciate her pushing him away. "What's the problem? You don't mind bending over for Draco but you think you're too good for me?" As he spoke he pushed her into the wall, the sudden impact knocking the air out of her. One hand leaned against the wall while the other smoothed down her side, moving with the curves of her figure, until he reached the bottom hem of her skirt. It began sneaking back up, under the stretchy material against the back of her bare thigh.</p><p>Hermione reached into her bag for her wand, but just as her fingers curled around it the lift came to a halt, and the doors opened to the throngs of ministry personnel making their way home for the evening. </p><p>"Another time then, Granger?" Theo said, pushing away from her and making his exit. Hermione stood frozen, shocked by what'd just occurred. </p><p>A few feet away, she noticed a head of pale blond hair, and locked eyes with him briefly. He gave her a confused look, which she didn't understand, because she didn't see the look of shock and horror on her own face. He raced toward her. </p><p>"Are you okay?" He asked urgently.</p><p>"I'm fine, she replied automatically, though her voice shook and there were tears filling her eyes. </p><p>"What did he do?" Draco demanded to know. </p><p>"Nothing. I'm fine," she lied again, realizing that she was very much not okay, but she couldn't tell him that here, now. He didn't seem to believe her anyway. </p><p>"Did he touch you?"</p><p>"Draco, stop," she warned him, swallowing down her feelings as hard as she could in order to keep her composure. He did not, however, heed her warning, instead taking it as a confirmation.</p><p>"He did. I'm gonna-" Draco turned and began in the direction he'd seen his former housemate go, reaching for his wand. </p><p>"Draco don't!" Hermione chased after him. "You're causing a scene!"</p><p>But it didn't make a difference, Draco took little time to catch up with him. "Nott, get back here!" he growled. </p><p>People were starting to take notice of the disturbance, and Theo turned to Draco with a grin far too cocky for the blond's liking. "Malfoy! So funny, we were just talking about you!"</p><p>"Did you touch her?" Draco demanded to know. </p><p>"Malfoy! Stop it right this moment!" Hermione shrieked from behind him. </p><p>"Did you put your hands on her?" Draco reworded, since he hadn't received his answer. </p><p>"I'm sorry, was I not supposed to? I thought she was just letting anyone slither-in these da-," Theo sneered.</p><p>As soon as Theo began to speak Hermione knew what was going to happen next, and sure enough before he could even finish his crude remake he'd taken a fist to the eye socket. Great, now he'd assaulted an officer. She’d be shocked if he wasn’t arrested by any number of passing aurors or other law enforcement. “Draco, leave, now.”</p><p>“You’re going to regret that, Malfoy,” Theo said, holding his face, but that arrogant sneer remained on his face. A pair of officers from the DMLE started moving in their direction, drawn in by the commotion.  </p><p>“What’s going on over here, Malfoy, Nott, Granger…” The officer looked between the three of them suspiciously. It seemed pretty obvious, but he was hoping for more of an explanation. </p><p>“I’d like to file a complaint,” Draco said angrily, and Hermione groaned next to him.<br/>
“A complaint?” the officer asked, confused, since from what he could tell it was Malfoy who’d thrown the punch.</p><p>“No, he wouldn’t,” Hermione contradicted, glaring over at him. “I’m fine, Officer Nott is fine, isn’t he?” She glared over at the other Slytherin now, and his lip curled into a smirk.</p><p>“Yes, we’re all fine here,” Theo agreed, lowering his hand to reveal a blossoming black eye.</p><p>This officer seemed suspicious, looking between the three of them again. “You’re sure you’re good here, Nott?”</p><p>Hermione and Draco both glared at Theo. “Yeah,” he confirmed. “Yeah I’m good here.” He started to walk away backwards. “Later, love birds.” was his parting remark, before he turned and disappeared into the dispersing crowd.</p><p>Her heart was hammering painfully in her chest, and now that he was gone she felt a sudden rush of emotions. She turned, feeling a desperate need to get as far away from all of these people as quickly as possible, and the blood rushing in her ears was deafening, so much so that she didn’t hear Draco calling after her. She got to the floo, and froze, unable to think. A moment later he was there with her, and had called out a destination she didn’t recognize. His arms around her, the two of them were whisked away.</p><p>Landing in the connecting floo, Hermione stumbled, and Draco pulled her through. “Hermione, can you hear me?”</p><p>It occurred to her that this wasn’t the first time he’d asked her that question. “Where are we?” She didn’t recognize the room they were in, now that she looked around. It appeared to be an office of some sort.</p><p>“My study,” Draco answered after a moment of hesitation.</p><p>Hermione’s eyes went wide. “Your study, in your home? Draco, I can’t be here!” she implored, lowering her voice. </p><p>“She won’t come in here. You need to tell me what happened. Are you okay?” The question made her feel dizzy, and her leg buckled, before giving way, and she lowered herself to her knees. Her breath was coming in short and quick, and she felt as though she wasn’t getting any air at all. She shook her head. He crouched down in front of her to get a look at her, and when he held her face and forced her to meet his gaze, she burst into tears. “Okay,” Draco said nervously, pulling her to him. “It’s okay, you’re with me now. It’s just me.”</p><p>It was several long minutes before what Hermione later recognized as a panic attack subsided, and Draco was able to get Hermione sitting up on the loveseat beside him. “He knows,” she informed him through her stuffed nose, wiping under her eyes. He conjured her a handkerchief to use, which she took gratefully. “He’s been tracking us. He’s using Stacy to spy on me. And he’s going to tell Ron, especially now after you hit him.” She sighed heavily and blew her nose.</p><p>“What did he do to you?” Draco demanded to know. “In the elevator, he touched you, didn’t he?” Draco saw it, he swore he saw him taking his hand away from her.</p><p>Hermione sighed, trying hard not to cry again. “I’m probably overreacting,” she told him, scared of how he’d react. “But he… He tried to blackmail me. He offered to not tell Ron if I… Well, you can guess what he wanted.”</p><p>“Did he touch you?” Draco stressed the question for what felt like the tenth time. </p><p>"He-" She was trying to recall. It'd only just happened and yet she struggled to remember the exact details. "Just my side, and my leg, I think." She didn't understand why her mind was acting so fuzzy. She couldn't think straight.</p><p>"I'm going to kill him," Draco growled.</p><p>"You're going to do no such thing," Hermione said, shaking her head. "You've done enough. Between the two of you I'm quite sure we've been outed."</p><p>"No we haven't," Draco refused to believe. "Anything he said was only heard by a handful of people, and after I had confronted him, publicly, for sexually harassing you. No one's going to take what he said seriously."</p><p>"Ron will." Hermione looked at Draco with dread. "I should get home," she added suddenly. "I need to get the kids. I'm going to have to figure out how to tell him before Nott beats me to it." There was no way Nott would keep her secret now.</p><p>She stood before Draco could talk her out of it. She was feeling slightly better now. "I'll call you later." If she didn't get kicked out altogether by the end of it. </p><p>"Okay," Draco agreed. He walked with her over to the fireplace. "I love you."</p><p>"I love you too."</p><p>He pulled her into a deep, tender kiss, regretting the moment his lips parted from hers. And then she was gone in a whisk of green flames,the burrow her destination.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Oh that bad Nott! Its getting tense! Will Hermione tell Ron first or will Theo beat her to it? How will he react to the news? Find out next week!</p><p>As always please let me know what you think, what you predict, and what you want to see happen in the future. Thanks for reading! Love you all!</p>
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<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Truth Will Out</h2></a>
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            <p>Ron should have been more careful what he wished for, because once the truth comes out there's no taking it back. Their marriage, whatever shreds of it remain, may just be burned to ash when Ron learns once and for all who Hermione's secret lover has been all along.</p>
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</div>Hermione shouldn't have been so surprised to see Harry when she arrived at their in-laws'. She had hoped to just grab the kids and run, but of course that wasn't much of an option, not when Harry gave her that look. She was no legilimens, but she knew that he wanted to talk to her, so the two of them excused themselves while Molly finished getting the brood ready to leave.<p>“Are you having an affair with Malfoy?” Harry asked her the moment they were behind closed doors.</p><p>Hermione hadn’t expected him to just come out with it like that, and she wondered how much he knew and how much was just speculation. “I-” She let out an indignant scoff. “Why are you asking me this?”</p><p>Harry frowned. “A number of reasons, really. Starting with the conversation Ginny and I had after Rose’s birthday party, which was preceded by a very paranoid conversation with Ron regarding one of her birthday presents.”</p><p>Hermione frowned as well and sat herself on what used to be George’s bed. “Honestly, Harry, it was just a gift. Ron was overreacting, as he’s prone to doing. You know that.”</p><p>“And then, again, the conversation I had with Ginny,” Harry continued.</p><p>Hermione bit her lip, unsure what was revealed. “And what did you two talk about?”</p><p>“Well,” Harry started as he began to pace. “Ron seemed to be giving me the impression that he thought you were disloyal, whereas Ginny seemed to have the distinct impression that it was Ron who’s been cheating.” He stopped pacing, and pulled the chair away from George’s desk to sit in.</p><p>“The truth, Harry?” He nodded, and Hermione continued, frowning. “I caught Ron with another witch in February.” Harry groaned and began to rub the temple on one side of his head. “It turns out he’d been stepping out on me for years.” Harry’s hand fell away, and he stared at Hermione.</p><p>“For fuck’s sake… That’s true?” He didn’t want to believe it. Not only did that make Ron complete scum, but it also meant he’d been lying to him for years.</p><p>Hermione felt tears filling her eyes, which she blinked away stubbornly. “I’m afraid so,” she confessed. “We got into a huge fight about it when I got home the next morning. Confessions were made…”</p><p>“The next morning?” Harry raised a black brow in her direction. </p><p>Hermione sighed. “After I saw him with his little slag,” she said bitterly, “I… didn’t come home. I was angry, and hurt, and I wanted to hurt him back.”</p><p>“And that’s where Malfoy comes into play?” Harry guessed.</p><p>“I never said it was Malfoy,” Hermione pointed out, but continued. “But after that night too much damage had been done.”</p><p>Harry was trying to make sense of everything she was unloading. “What are you saying?”</p><p>Hermione sighed and looked Harry straight in the eye. “Ronald and I are separated,” she told Harry. “Yes, we’re still living together, and raising the kids together, but as far as I’m concerned we are now two separate entities. He shags whomever he wishes, and I-”</p><p>“Shag Malfoy.” Hermione gave Harry a stern look, which he returned, but she looked down at her lap, frowning. </p><p>“Nott figured it out, that’s what that was about, in the lobby. He confronted me in the lift, tried to blackmail me.” She scoffed, shaking her head and looking up at Harry again. “I’m going to tell Ron as soon as he gets home. I don’t suppose I have much of a choice now. He’s been demanding to know who for months now. As if that’s any of his bloody business! I don’t ask him who he’s fucking and I don’t want to know!”</p><p>“Bloody hell, Mione, keep it down,” Harry urged her, looking cross. “Why are you two putting each other through this? Why not just… end it?” He hated the idea, but the toxicity taking place between them couldn’t possibly be better.</p><p>Hermione gave Harry a sympathetic look. “Harry, you know as well as I do how much damage a soiled reputation can do. If everyone finds out that my marriage failed because I couldn’t keep my husband’s interest because I was too committed to my job, how will I ever be Minister? Everything I’ve ever worked for-” A knock on the door startled them both.</p><p>“Is everything alright, dears?” Molly called through the door. “The kids are all set.”</p><p>Harry and Hermione stared at each other. “I’ve got to go, Harry,” Hermione told him definitively. She stood. “I’m sorry, I know this all… sucks.”</p><p>“You’re telling him tonight?” Harry asked, just to clarify, and perhaps emphasize that he would hold her to that. </p><p>"I promise."</p><p>She got the kids home and started on dinner, all the while trying to figure out how she was going to tell Ron what he'd been demanding to know. Her hands shook as she waited, and when the dinner was cooked she got a jump on washing the pots and pans just to give her hands something to do. </p><p>When he did arrive home he didn't seem to know anything about what'd taken place in the ministry lobby that evening, which was a relief. They got through dinner easily enough, and sent the kids to go play Hugo's room so that they could talk. </p><p>"Alright," Ron said, following Hermione out into the living room, where she set up a sound barrier for the occasion. "What's this about?"</p><p>"I need to tell you about something that happened today," she said to him.</p><p>"What happened?" Ron asked suspiciously, taking a seat on the couch. Hermione didn't sit, instead beginning to pace, wringing her hands, which were shaking again. </p><p>Hermione paced some more, looking for her words. "I received an unwanted sexual advance while I was leaving the office."</p><p>Ron's ears turned pink. "What kind of advance?" he asked, not liking where this was going. "Did this guy touch you? Who was it?"</p><p>Hermione turned to face Ron, ceasing her restless movement. "The blackmail kind," she told him, an edge to her voice. "Your good friend, Nott," she told him, angry tears in her eyes. "And yes, he did touch me." Her voice cracked at the memory of his hands on her body, and the way he threw her against the wall when she tried to dismiss him. </p><p>Ron scoffed. Of course she was going to try to put a wedge between him and the only friend he could be honest with right now. He looked at the floor, shaking his head, but then he heard her voice crack, and he looked back up quickly. She was in tears, and looked shaken. He realized this wasn't what he thought it was at all. He stood suddenly. "What? What happened?" </p><p>He reached for her hands but Hermione pulled away, taking a step back. This was his fault. He just couldn't let it go. "Did you know?" She asked angrily, a few more tears falling. "Did you send him to spy on me?"</p><p>Ron looked as though he'd been slapped. "Well, I- I may have asked him to see what he could find out, but…"</p><p>"He's shagging my assistant just to do so!" Hermione told Ron angrily. </p><p>Ron didn't appreciate the accusatory tone she was using this time. "You're not actually implying that I told him to-"</p><p>"No, but you should have known that no good could come from sending that snake of a man to investigate me. So I hope you're happy, because instead of coming to you with his findings he accosted me in the lift and-" She took a moment to sniff deeply through her nose. "He thought he could get me to shag him to keep it from you."</p><p>"What?" Ron didn't want to believe that could be true, but he couldn't help but think that Hermione wouldn't make that up. </p><p>"And then when I refused he got really aggressive, and then the lift stopped and he made it clear it wasn't over." </p><p>Ron wasn't sure what to believe. How could one of his closest mates do such a thing, to his wife?! "You're not actually blaming me for this?" It certainly sounded like she was. </p><p>"Why couldn't you just leave it alone?" Hermione cried in frustration. She was still blinking back tears. That evening's events had been more traumatic than she'd expected. "Why did you need to know so damn badly?"</p><p>"Because!" Ron said, taking another step toward her. "You've got someone out there who you'd rather be with than me, and that drives me mad!" There was a pain in his voice that caught Hermione by surprise.</p><p>"Is that a joke?" She laughed bitterly. </p><p>"Oh I'm so glad that my feelings are a joke to you."</p><p>"Your feelings became a joke to me when you fucked no less than five other women!" Hermione told him, exasperated. "But you don't see me asking for their names!"</p><p>"Yeah but this is different," Ron argued. </p><p>"Yeah?" Hermione asked in a warning tone. "And why is that?"</p><p>"Because I was never in love with any of them!" His pain was audible, and it startled her. "So please, just tell me who he is! Tell me who it is you love more than me!"</p><p>Telling him now just felt cruel, but maybe he deserved it. "It's Draco Malfoy. I'm seeing Draco Malfoy. And yes, I love him, and he loves me. There, aren't you glad you know?" She fell into a chair, exhausted. Ron's face was red, and he was at a complete loss for words. Feeling slightly victorious, Hermione decided to twist the knife. "And before you go on about what a horrible person he is, just remember he's not the Slytherin who sexually harassed me in an elevator rather than coming to you with that information." As it turned out, that didn't feel very satisfying at all. </p><p>Over the next couple of weeks, Ron avoided Hermione as much as possible.  He was quiet, dejected, and when he wasn't with the kids he went straight to bed. Hermione was faced with her own demons in that time. She stopped working late, instead leaving work at the same time as everyone else to avoid being alone in the lift or anywhere else at the office. Theo hadn't approached her since that first time, in fact he didn't hang around Stacy's desk throughout the day either. She was grateful, though she hated that Stacy was being hurt in the middle of it. Within a few days she'd come to Hermione with questions stemming from rumors circulating, and Hermione didn't know what to say to her, calling it a complicated misunderstanding. </p><p>The mood at the Granger-Weasley residence was bleak at best as of late, and Hermione could hardly stand to see how sad Ron had become after learning the truth. After dinner exactly two weeks after the initial confession, Hermione made quick work of the post-dinner cleanup, helped him get the kids to bed, and then joined him upstairs to get ready for bed. His routine was shorter than hers, and by the time she got into her pajama shorts and tank top, he was settled in under the covers, eyes closed. </p><p>"Ron," she tried as she got under the covers on her side. "Ron I know you're awake." She knew because he'd be snoring otherwise. "Will you please talk to me?" Nothing. "Ron, please. I hate seeing you like this."</p><p>"Are you sure about that?" Ron grumbled miserably, turning to face her with his head remaining firmly rested on his pillow. </p><p>Hermione didn't care to tolerate any sort of attack, no matter how miserable he was feeling. He'd asked for it, quite literally. "You wanted to know," she reminded him. </p><p>"I don't understand," Ron finally expressed, pushing himself up on his side. "Why him?"</p><p>Hermione wanted to be defensive and ask him why a teenage cock-swallowing slag, but she decided against it. "Well," she started out. "It started out just because I was upset, obviously-"</p><p>"But you went right to him. You left and you went right to him. How?" Ron's voice strained with frustration and words he clearly meant to speak for the last fortnight. "He's married for Merlin's sake."</p><p>Hermione knew what he was asking, she just didn't know how to answer. "We're… friends. We have been for quite some time. We were heads together."</p><p>Ron wasn't sold on this answer. "That doesn't change the fact that he's married. How did you manage to fall into bed with him that quickly?"</p><p>Hermione let out a sigh. "There may have been some, I don't know, flirtations… I guess? There are things I know about Malfoy's marriage that other people don't. It's complicated."</p><p>"So you just-"</p><p>"Ron this isn't fair! You cheated on me first! Over and over again, with different women! I reacted because I was in pain. I wanted to surprise you with a sexy late valentine's picnic, and I was the one who ended up surprised, remember?" </p><p>Ron backed down and pouted. "You're right." A long silence stretched between them. </p><p>"I didn't choose him to hurt you. We just… care about each other. It feels nice to be loved by someone who doesn't need me to take care of him. He just needs… me." </p><p>"I need you," Ron told her, making Hermione's heart take an unexpected leap. "It doesn't matter that you're still here to take care of me and the kids. I don't have you, and I need you." He scooted closer to her on the bed, and Hermione closed her eyes so that she wouldn't have to look into his so close to hers. "I need you to be my wife again," he went on.</p><p>Hermione’s eyes opened, boring into his bright blue orbs. It was the most genuine thing he'd said to her in at least six months. "Ron, so much has happened… I don't think we can just-"</p><p>"Just try," Ron urged. "Please, Mione." He leaned his forehead against hers, and for the longest moment the threat of a kiss lingered between them. Finally, she let him close enough that his lips found hers. It was the first kiss they'd shared, romantically and not for the show of family around them, since February. It started out timid, careful, tender, and gradually Ron's confidence grew, and he drew her in, pulling her close to him under the covers. Hermione was swept away by it. It wasn't until he began to turn her onto her back that panic set in, and Hermione broke away, tears streaming down her face. </p><p>"Ron, I can't. It's just… it's too late," she said with a dry sob. </p><p>"Hermione, I promise, things can be different. I don't want anyone but you."</p><p>Hermione shook her head, moving away from him, and sitting up. "You shouldn't have wanted anyone but me to begin with!" She buried her face in her hands, beginning to cry, which infuriated her to no end. “And I shouldn’t have wanted anyone but you, but did. I do!” she said through her tears. “I wish it was different.”</p><p>Ron stared at his sobbing wife, taking in everything she’d said. She wasn’t just mad anymore, she wasn’t just punishing him. She didn’t want him anymore, and the realization of that was worse than taking a rogue bludger to the head. And what’s more was that he was realizing in that moment that this feeling that he had must be what she felt when she learned of his many indiscretions.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Omg! That scene had so many feels! Poor Ron! Poor Hermione! No matter what these two have put each other through, the end of their marriage as they know it is still a tragic loss on both of their parts, and will be mourned long and hard by both.</p><p>Will the charade continue? What are people saying these days about the scene made in the atrium two weeks prior? How long can all involved parties keep it together without blowing their covers? And a most shocking twist will soon hit the estranged couples like a freight train. Stay tuned!</p>
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<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Detention</h2></a>
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            <p>We're definitely overdue for some playful smut, right?</p>
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</div>Draco was rather surprised to be on the receiving end of an invitation from his beloved Lioness. Since the encounter with Theo Nott a couple weeks ago things between them had been more tense than usual. She was still cross with him for picking a fight with Theo, and there were still whispers floating around, speculating if there might be any truth to what Theo has accused.<p>They took it easy, no special lunch breaks, no office visits, nothing that could link their time together in any way. They got together a couple of times in that fortnight, later in the evenings, but they'd been casual encounters, quiet nights at the flat cuddled up watching movies and eating microwave popcorn. They each made it home in time to put the kids to bed. He could tell that now that Ron knew about him, she was highly uncomfortable being physical together. He tried not to take it personally, but it did take all the joy out of knowing that Ron was miserable because of him. </p><p>The memo that'd landed on his desk had been so subtle he nearly put it on his business calendar. She wanted to see him Friday night, seven o'clock. It was enough time for him to go home, have dinner with Scorpius, and take a quick, hopeful shower. Their relationship wasn't just about sex, of course, but Merlin did he miss it, and he was quite sure that they would be getting back on the horse finally. </p><p>The hard part was getting out of the house. The Mrs was irritated that Theo’s attempt to out them had barely made a splash in the gossip pool, though she wasn’t being her usual self either. He couldn’t remember the last time she’d left the house for one of her girl-on-girl adventures. Instead she was being usually needy, sentimental, and, dare he even say it, family oriented. Scorpius was benefiting from the change, at least, spending more time with both of his parents, together. Draco thought it was nice as well, but in the back of his mind he kept wishing he could have been sharing those moments with Hermione in Astoria’s place, which left him feeling guilty, because no matter the status of their marriage, Astoria was still his mother.</p><p>He arrived at their flat just a couple minutes past seven, and upon stepping further into the living space he discovered that the living and dining room had been transformed. A classroom filled the space instead, complete with chalkboard, desks, books, and where the dining room table used to be, a large teacher's desk, covered in all the necessary tools for a day of teaching. A smirk grew onto his lips at the sight, because on top of this teacher's desk sat a very naughty student. </p><p>She was dressed in a sexed up version of her Hogwarts uniform, the knit knee-highs now nylon thigh-highs, the skirt much shorter, the shirt much bustier, and between her supple breasts laid a crimson and gold tie, tied loose. One leg crossed over the other, bounced a very high heeled mary jane shoe. Draco sprang to attention immediately at the sight of her. </p><p>"Professor," Hermione greeted him with a coy smile, diving into character. "I've been waiting for my detention to start." She uncrossed her legs and crossed them the other way, giving him a quick flash under her skirt, where she wore nothing. </p><p>Draco's mouth quickly began to water, and he swallowed it down so that he could speak. "And what brings you into detention today, Miss Granger?" he carefully switched into character to ask. He began rolling up the sleeves of his dress shirt.</p><p>Hermione turned her head away from him, rolling her eyes. "Uniform violation," she scoffed. She then uncrossed her legs and slid forward off of the desk until her heels met the floor with a clack. She turned her attention back to "Professor Malfoy". "You don't think my uniform is too revealing, do you sir?" She bit her lip, tugging it between her teeth before letting it pop forward, red and swollen. </p><p>"As a matter of fact I think it might be a little inappropriate for a typing lady such as yourself." As he spoke she took a couple slow steps toward him, sashaying her hips as she moved, until she was standing just in front of him. </p><p>"What's wrong with it, professor?" She asked, taking hold of his collar and looking rather interested with his hard chest. "You don't think my natural bosom is inappropriate, do you? I'm not being punished for an endowment that's out of my control, am I?"</p><p>Draco swallowed hard, staring down at the "student". "Of course not, but it is very distracting to the male students," he informed her. </p><p>Hermione looked up at him through smokey eyes with a smirk. "That's awfully sexist, don't you think? After all, I happen to find your bulge very distracting, Professor." As she spoke she took hold of the bulge she spoke of, cupping his hardness firmly and rubbing him through his clothes. "And yet there's nothing that says men can't wear tight trousers."</p><p>Draco jumped at the sudden handling of his very needy cock. This woman was good. Draco reached down and captured her wrist, pulling it away from his highly sensitive area. "Miss Granger, that is unacceptable behavior!"</p><p>Hermione pulled her wrist free and took a couple steps back until she reached the desk, eyes locked with his. "What's the matter, professor?" She began very slowly unbuttoning more of her blouse. "I know you're hot for me. I'll let you touch. It's only fair." She opened her shirt to reveal an unlined crimson lace bra showing her skin through the intricate floral design. "Don't you want to touch me, Professor Malfoy?"</p><p>Draco groaned. She'd never been this sexual back in school, except maybe that night after that party, when she let him take every part of her body. "I think you know perfectly well that I can't do that," he played hard to get, trying to put himself in the shoes of a professor being tempted by a horny little witch. </p><p>Hermione wasn't satisfied with that answer, and took both his hands in hers, placing them firmly on her chest and pressing his palms hard against the lace covered breasts. Draco caved, moulding his hands to their shape, giving them a slight squeeze since her hands were holding his in place. "You like that, don't you?"</p><p>Draco groaned miserably at her taunt. "You're an insufferable young lady. It's no wonder you were sent here to be punished."</p><p>She released his hands and reached behind her, feeling with her hand until she found what she was looking for. She pulled forth a hard wooden ruler, showing it off to him. "So are you going to punish me or what?"</p><p>Draco ripped the ruler from Hermione's hand. "As a matter of fact, yes," he told her in a stern voice. He was rather enjoying this little role play. And if she wanted a spanking he'd give it to her. "Turn around!"</p><p>Hermione did as she was told, turning and bending slightly over the edge of the desk. Her skirt was short enough that the bottoms of her cheeks were visible under the pleated material. She peered at him over her shoulder, swaying her hips back and forth teasingly. </p><p>"Is this a joke to you, little girl?" Draco asked, and slapped the ruler against the desk in warning, though it was really to test the feel of it, so that he would know just how hard was hard enough. Hermione giggled, actually giggled! He'd never heard such a sound come out of her. </p><p>"Not at all Sir. I've been a bad girl and I deserve to be punished." She reached back with both hands and flipped up the skirt, exposing herself to him. "Come on, professor. Don't you want to beat me?"</p><p>The little minx! He loved it, he loved her,  and he took aim, landing the flat width of the ruler square across the middle of her left cheek. Hermione cried out, the sound morphing into a moan as the pain set in. </p><p>"Yes, teach me a lesson!" She squirmed, pressing her legs together for fiction. She was incredibly turned on, and long overdue for some release. </p><p>A loud crack filled the room as the wooden utensil collided with her backside once more. "Respectable witches don't go showing off their arses and cunts to grown men," he told her, and hit her a third time. </p><p>Hermione moaned loudly, growing used to the pain. Her walls clamped down upon themselves, nothing to grip, to milk. "But professor, my cunt is so wet for you," she told him. "Touch it," she urged. "Touch my wet pussy."</p><p>Draco tried to resist, but then he remembered that they were both adults, and this wasn't horrible forbidden. He put one hand between her legs from behind, and his fingertips immediately found her slick entrance. "Is that why you're really here, Miss Granger? To seduce me?" he spoke into her ear while he rubbed her lips, coating them in the slick fluid from within.</p><p>"You caught me," she told him, humming softly at his gentle touch. "I'm hot for teacher."</p><p>"And what makes you think I'm the kind of teacher who can be seduced?" Draco asked her, plunging two fingers inside of her, pumping them steadily. </p><p>Hermione squirmed. It felt so good to be touched, but it wasn't enough. "Because that bulge of yours gets a little bit bigger when you're near me, doesn't it?"</p><p>It occurred to Draco that if this wasn't a fun little game between consenting adults, if he was really a teacher and her really a student, he'd be in big, big trouble. "Must be all those low-cut shirts and short skirts," he reasoned, his fingers picking up speed. </p><p>Hermione grinned. "Do you want to fuck me, Professor Malfoy?" she asked him. "Because I want you to fuck me, right here on your desk."</p><p>Draco withdrew his fingers and slapped her arse hard with the sticky hand. "Is that what you want. You want this?" He pressed his painfully hard cock against her, still trapped within his pants. </p><p>She wiggled her arse against the stiff member pressing into her. "Yes, put it in me! Please!" She begged. </p><p>Draco was never one to deny a horny woman. He unfastened his pants as quickly as he could manage and pushed them down around his knees. He took himself in one hand, and reached around her front to grab her tie with the other. With the Gryffindor themed accessory he pulled her back toward him, aligning himself at her weeping entrance. "Hold on tight little witch." </p><p>She didn't have any chance to brace herself, his warning barely computing in her brain before he was slamming into her. She gasped and cried out in pleasure, reaching forward to hold onto the far edge of the desk. "Oh shit, yes, yes! Fuck me!" This little fantasy scenario had definitely been a success. She’d left no room for conversation, to discuss the unpleasant circumstances surrounding their relationship. Just sex, rough and playfully and orgasm inducing sex. She had a strong feeling it was exactly what they needed tonight, first and foremost. Let the unpleasantries follow later. </p><p>The tie now twisted and wrapped around it, Draco held Hermione down with one hand, the other on her waist pulling her closer to him with each forceful thrust. Being inside of her again was ecstasy. Draco had always loved sex, but no woman had ever fulfilled him or allowed him to explore her the way Hermione did. He released her hip in favor of a hard slap to her right buttcheek. </p><p>Hermione tried her best to push back against him and meet his thrusts, impaling herself on him as he slammed into her. It felt amazing, and she’d really missed it. “Don’t stop, it’s so good!” she cried out. She was already incredibly close. “I’m going to cum! Make me cum Professor!” she begged, as if he needed telling. He always knew exactly how to push her over the edge, and tonight was no exception. “Yes, yes, right there!” Her walls clamped down, gripping him firmly. She could feel his length fighting to move in and out of the tightness.</p><p>“Oh fuck!” Draco realized that after two weeks without the privilege of her body he did not have the same kind of resilience that he was used to. Her body was working him with determination, and it was winning. She went silent as her orgasm washed over her, her body shuddering around him as she milked him as violently as ever. The effort was not in vain, and Draco’s load was swallowed by her greedy cunt.</p><p>Thank Merlin the night was young. </p><p>He slowed to a stop, but remained buried deep inside of her. “I assume a horny little student like you is familiar with her contraception charms?” he asked, smirking. </p><p>“Of course, Professor. I wouldn’t dare do anything to expose you,” Hermione answered with a smirk. She reached across the desk and found her wand, and Draco pulled away in order for her to turn around. She turned onto her back and remained leaned back against the desk. </p><p>Draco’s lips crashed down onto hers the moment she looked at him, as eager to kiss her as he’d been to shag her. “I’m not sure you’ve learned your lesson,” Draco said against her lips. “I think there’ll be many more detentions in your future.”</p><p>“As long as I can serve them with you,” she agreed.</p><p>After a quick contraceptive charm, Hermione returned the living and dining room to their original state, and the pair opened a bottle of wine. “That was really fun,” Draco told her. “I never knew you had a slutty school girl fantasy,” he teased. “Or was that a hot-for-teacher fantasy?”</p><p>Hermione smiled over the rim of her glass. “I don’t know, maybe a little of both.” She took a large sip from her chardonnay. “Not that I ever had a professor I wished to shag,” she clarified quickly. “Of course I figured the latter was more of a fantasy for you.”</p><p>Draco laughed. “You’re not wrong.”</p><p>Hermione took one more drink of her wine and set the glass down. “I’m going to go freshen up.” She kissed his cheek and headed into the bedroom, where she used the loo, fixed up her hair, and undressed, replacing her costume with her house robe. When she returned, Draco was down to just his trousers, shoes and shirt discarded. She grabbed her wine again and took a long drink, choosing her next words very carefully.</p><p>“I think there’s something I need to tell you…”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading! Sorry it's so late, this holiday season is throwing a wrench in things! As always please comment, let me know what you like, you don't like, and what you think Hermione's about to say to Draco!</p><p>(now to go make a massive amount of food for my office party tomorrow)</p>
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<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Confessions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>CHAPTER 33:</p><p>Draco stared at Hermione in surprise. That didn't sound good. That didn't sound good at all. "You want to talk? About what, exactly?” He set down his now empty wine glass.</p><p>Hermione sighed and pulled out a barstool, sitting down and pouring herself some more wine. “It’s not… that big of a deal, I guess, but I don’t feel comfortable not telling you.” She took a long drink. “It’s just… something happened, the other day, with me and Ron.” She bit her lip, watching him for his reaction. “He kissed me, and I let him, for quite a bit longer than I should have.”</p><p>Draco was surprised to hear that, and a bit put off by it as well. He tried not to show it. “Really? And just how far did this kissing go?” he needed to know. </p><p>Hermione sighed. “I put an end to it the moment he tried to take it horizontal,” she answered firmly. “It was a moment of weakness. He wanted me to take him back, he wanted to work on our marriage, I got caught up in it, in what we used to have. But I knew as soon as he tried to take it further that I didn’t want that. My heart doesn’t belong to him anymore, it hasn’t for a long time.” Hermione began drinking deeply of her wine. </p><p>Sure, maybe it was hypocritical of her to hold such a grudge when she’d been sleeping with Draco long before knowing of Ron’s infidelity, but she’d had the decency to bring her affair to an end before it could hurt Ron. And knowing what she knew now, that he’d been stepping out on her for so long, taking every opportunity that came along, she thought some part of her must have known. It was still painful to think about. For as much as she loved Draco, the failure of her marriage was unlike any pain she’d ever had to experience. It was like a death.</p><p>Draco took in this information with a grain of salt. He wanted to be upset, but truthfully, he didn’t blame her. She’d been married to her husband more than twice as long as him to his wife, and there was a decade more of friendship and history between them before that. He wouldn’t hold that against her. It did, however, remind Draco of an incident that took place between himself and his wife that he hadn’t told Hermione about, for good reason at the time, but now it seemed was the appropriate time to tell her. Draco sighed and raked his fingers through his hair. “Alright,” he said, accepting this information.</p><p>“Alright?” Hermione was surprised by the response, half expecting him to go into a jealous fit, maybe even hoping so. </p><p>“Alright,” Draco repeated. “You want me to be mad? Hermione you’ve been with the guy for most of your life. I’d be more surprised if you hadn’t at some point shared a moment with him.” He knew exactly how easy it was to slide into that little trap. </p><p>Hermione watched Draco for a moment. “And have you… shared a ‘moment’ with Astoria, recently?” She didn’t think so, given that Astoria was, apparently, exclusively interested in the same sex, but sexuality was more fluid than that, she thought. Few people were a hundred precent gay or a hundred percent straight.</p><p>Draco sighed and set down his own wine-glass. “As a matter of fact, a few months ago I came home to an incredibly drunk wife in her lingerie,” he told her.</p><p>Hermione’s eyes went wide. “A couple months ago?” she asked, feeling a little blind-sided. </p><p>He knew she wouldn’t take the news as easily as he had, which was why he hadn’t bothered to tell her. “Yes, and I only didn’t tell you because I didn’t see the point in getting you upset over something that didn’t even happen.”</p><p>Hermione thought that was fair, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have questions. “What exactly did happen?” she’d like to know.</p><p>Draco took another quick drink of his wine. “Well, I accused her of being drunk, which she obviously was. She was rather determined to seduce me. I’m afraid to admit it almost worked.” He could have left that detail out, but he wanted to be honest. </p><p>Hermione frowned. She was grateful that he was being honest, but it wasn’t pleasant to hear. “How well did it almost work?” she asked, and drained her glass again in anticipation of the answer.</p><p>“We… made it horizontal,” Draco admitted. “But I wasn’t into it, and her attempts to help me rise to the occasion were just a reminder that I didn’t want to be with anyone but you.” He smiled across the bar at his lover, and she smiled back. “I think it was her desperate attempt to keep me from falling in love with you. Clearly it didn’t work.”</p><p>Hermione moved out of her seat and brought her glass with her, setting it down in the sink. She then took Draco’s from his hand and discarded it in the sink as well. “Clearly it didn’t,” she agreed, wrapping her arms up around his neck. She stretched up on her toes and kissed him deeply.</p><p>Draco’s hands fell to Hermione’s waist, and he pulled her close against him. He had no problem rising to the occasion for her, and swiftly lifted her up. Hermione broke the kiss, giggling, as she wrapped her legs around his middle, before he carried her off to the bedroom.</p><p>The belated birthday celebration lasted long into the wee hours of the morning. There were two painfully sexless weeks to make up for, after all. </p><p> </p><p>The couple found their way back to their steady rhythm, remaining careful of being caught in any sort of pattern that could be damning if anyone, like Nott, was looking closely enough. Hermione learned that Ron had confronted Theo about his advances toward his wife, which Theo tried to reason was his way of helping, testing if Draco was her only lover or if she was looking to take on more. Even Ron didn't fall for this, and after blackening Theo's other eye, their friendship had been dissolved. </p><p>Near the end of June Hermione and Ginny got together for a long overdue talk. Ginny invited Hermione and the kids over for a play date while Harry and Ron went to see a quidditch game, no doubt for their version of the same conversation. The mothers sat down at a table in the garden with fresh cups of coffee while the children played in the yard in their clear line of sight. It was a most rare sunny day and they didn't want the kids to miss it inside. </p><p>"How have you been?" Ginny asked in a nurturing tone, which always struck Hermione as funny given the age difference. </p><p>"Things are… better now, than they've been. There's no more… anger, I guess.  It's just been replaced by a lot of moping." She took a long sip, watching Rose try to keep up with James. </p><p>"Now that everyone knows the truth, that is?" Ginny asked for clarity sake. </p><p>"Right." Hermione frowned. "You don't hate me, do you?" She had to assume that Harry told her everything he knew, including the fact that Draco was her lover all this time, not just once as she'd let Ginny believe. </p><p>"Hate my sister in law for finding someone to love her when my brother couldn't be bothered?" Ginny sighed heavily. "I'm not thrilled obviously, but mostly just because it makes me sad to know that you two are going through this. I could wring Ron's neck for cheating on you in the first place." She frowned. "Do you think you two will ever recover?"</p><p>Hermione knew that Ginny was hopeful for a resolution, but she was afraid that it was simply too late. "The day after I caught him with her, I kicked him out of the house for a few hours so I could think. Then after the kids were in bed I asked him if he had any thoughts on how to proceed. Nothing. So I told him he could keep seeing whoever he needed to see and I would see whoever I wanted to see, and I didn't want to see or hear of this person or people, ever. Part of me thought he'd protest, beg, tell me he didn't want anyone else but me. He didn't, because he couldn't. He didn't want to stop hooking up with other people. I still wasn't enough"</p><p>Ginny stared at Hermione, shocked by what she was hearing. "So you two just saw other people from that point on?" </p><p>"More than that," Hermione explained. "I told him that our marriage was over. Everything you or anyone else saw of us from mid February on was a lie. We were just faking it, all this time." She sipped her coffee. "We worked around each other's schedules, I didn't ask questions, I didn't answer his. I have no idea who all he was seeing when, but for me it was always Draco." It felt strange to admit it out loud. </p><p>"Bloody hell… I can't believe it. So it's really just over?" </p><p>Hermione looked over at Ginny. "He broke my heart, Gin. He told me I was the problem. I was too pregnant. Too moody. Too mean. Too busy. For months I couldn't even look at him without either wanting to cry or to claw his eyes out."</p><p>"Fuck."</p><p>"He never fought for me, not once. Not until after he knew it was Draco." She let out a shaky breath. It was still hard to dig up these emotions and share them with someone else. "It's too late now, of course. I don't see the man I love when I sit across from him at dinner. I see a liar, and a cheater." Granted she saw those things when she looked in the mirror as well, but at least she'd learned to forgive herself. </p><p>"Well then why keep putting yourself through it? I hate to say this but why wouldn't you just put this marriage out of its misery and get a divorce?" Ginny didn't know why anyone would live in something so toxic. </p><p>"Because I'm scared!" Hermione burst out, surprising herself as well as Ginny. "Because I want to be Minister. I want to make a difference in this world. And I-" she sighed and sniffed. "I don't want to not be a Weasley anymore."</p><p>Ginny teared up a bit as well. "You'll never stop being a Weasley. You've got two Weasley children, that makes you an honorary Weasley for life," she attempted to assure her. </p><p>"Can you promise me that'd be true if I were also a Malfoy?"</p><p>Ginny sighed. "I'd like to." She could only speak for herself here. She had no idea how the rest of the family would react to the change. "So you really only started seeing Malfoy after you caught Ron? How did that even come about? It's he married to Astoria Greengrass?"</p><p>Hermione sighed in frustration. She didn't like having to give Draco's personal business. "It's an open marriage. It's a long story. And as for me and him... Draco and I have… history."</p><p>"History such as?" Ginny inquired with obvious curiosity. </p><p>Hermione debated how much information to give. "History such as… our last year at Hogwarts together."</p><p>"Oh really now?" Ginny wasn't sure if that was in reference to a friendship built in that time or something more. </p><p>Hermione had the decency to blush a little. "It was just one night."</p><p>"One night of what? Mad, passionate love making?" Ginny asked, lowering her voice slightly as she watched the kids out of the corner of her eye. </p><p>"More like drunk, crazy, letting him do unspeakable things to my body…" Hermione confessed in a whisper. She couldn't help but smile. She'd never been able to talk about this with anyone before. </p><p>"Hermione!" Ginny gasped, appalled, and maybe a little intrigued as well. "Is that what sent you back to him? The sex?"</p><p>Hermione thought, and sighed. "Ginny, if I'm completely honest with you will you promise not to hold it against me?" She needed at least one person to still respect her after all was said and done. </p><p>Ginny sipped her coffee anxiously. She could tell they were getting to the real dirt now. "Of course. Nothing you say is going to make me think less of you."</p><p>Hermione nodded, and bit her lip for a moment. "I don't want you to think your brother is a monster. You already know that our marriage has been in trouble this past year, especially after that party back in November which Ron couldn't bring himself to accompany me to." Ginny nodded, confirming her recollection of the conversation they'd had at the zoo. "Well, the thing is, the night at that party, I was so angry at Ron, and very, very drunk, and Malfoy-"</p><p>"Holy shit you fucked Malfoy at that party, didn't you?" Ginny whispered urgently. </p><p>"I don't know what I was thinking! He followed me to my office when I went to look for my phone, and then he came on to me, and he was just joking around, you know, about getting back at Ron for making me attend my own party without him. And then he kissed me, and it just escalated so quickly." Just remembering it now made the mother of two shift in her seat. </p><p>"Wait, but that was in November, and you didn't catch Ron until February…" Ginny was starting to catch on. Ron wasn't the only cheater in this relationship after all. She probably should have been more angry, but she did remember how hurt Hermione had been that Ron couldn't be bothered to support her in her success. "How many times were you with him before catching Ron?"</p><p>"A handful or so," Hermione confessed. "Maybe a bit more. But I couldn't stand it, the guilt. I put an end to it on new years eve, told him I couldn't do it anymore. And I meant it. But when I saw Ron getting his stupid cheating dick sucked by that stupid slag I didn't feel so guilty anymore."</p><p>Ginny was quiet for a long moment, taking in so much new information. Finally she finished her coffee and set the mug down. "Does Ron know how long you've been with Malfoy?"</p><p>"Hell no," Hermione answered quickly. "I didn't want to lose my upper-hand. The fact is Ron was cheating on me a full year and a half before then, with multiple women. If he knew that I did what I did, when I did, he'd think I'm no better than him." She huffed in irritation. "So many nights working late, being called into the store… I'll never know how much of it was real or how much of it was just him getting off with his barey legal employee." She turned, teary-eyed toward her longtime friend and sister-in-law. "Maybe if I'd lost the baby weight after Hugo was born, or been kinder, or…"</p><p> </p><p>The next few weeks, Draco thought Astoria was still behaving rather unusually. It was the first Saturday in July, and Draco and Astoria had just taken turns bathing and dressing their son, who had just celebrated his third birthday. When it came time to read his bedtime story, Astoria was no where to be found. Not wanting to draw attention to he absence, Draco proceeded without her, and soon enough the toddler was down for the count. </p><p>Draco placed a gentle kiss on his son's head before putting the book back on the shelf, turning out the light, and creeping out of the room as quietly as he could. With the door shut carefully behind him, Draco set off in search of his platonic life partner. </p><p>The first place he thought to look was the master suite, expecting to perhaps find her getting ready for bed, or even getting ready to go out for the evening. It almost would have been nice to see, her getting back to her usual routine. But she wasn't in the suite, or the en suite, or even in the labyrinth that was her closet. </p><p>He checked downstairs next, in the kitchen, the wine cellar, even her art studio, in which she'd been spending more time lately, creating redundant oil paintings of floral arrangements and views of the garden the room overlooked. Still she was no where to be found. </p><p>Finally Draco headed back upstairs to their room. As he passed Scorpius' play room he noticed that the door was ajar, which was unusual because Astoria preferred to keep it closed so that she wouldn't have to see, and subsequently become stressed out by, the mess of toys inside. Draco pushed the door open a bit more and the light from the hall allowed him to see the small, frail, and seemingly shaking figure of the woman he had once loved. </p><p>She was crying. He didn't think he'd seen her cry, actual tears, and not the crocodile variety, in years. He entered the room, and with a flick of his wand brought the lanterns to life, illuminating her to his view. </p><p>"Sto?" She was on the floor, surrounded by the wooden blocks Scorp had been playing with that day. When the room was lit she looked up at him, tears streaming down her face. Draco kneeled in front of her. “Astoria, what’s the matter?”</p><p>She sniffed deeply and stared up at him. “I fucked up,” she told him, her voice cracking.</p><p>Draco was filled with a very sudden sense of dread. He couldn’t tell how, but he knew that whatever she was about to say to him was going to have a devastating effect on their lives together. “What did you do, Sto?” She liked to take risks, she got off on it. It was why she was always sneaking around with various mostly-straight women, convincing them that it was okay because she wasn’t a man, so it wasn’t really cheating, which Draco believed was bullshit. The domestic life her parents had envisioned for her had never made her happy, and it didn’t take Draco long to realize that. It hurt, at first, knowing that he’d never be enough for her.</p><p>"It was an accident. I didn't mean for it to happen. I didn't even want it to happen," Astoria rambled desperately. </p><p>Draco's heart began pounding. "What did you do, Sto?" he repeated himself. </p><p>"I was so drunk, and she was so pretty, and I wasn't thinking clearly. I just thought-" she paused, unsure of her words. </p><p>Draco we growing frustrated now, though her panicked state kept him from lashing out. He'd known for weeks something was off, and whatever it was had clearly come to a boiling point. "What did you do?" Draco asked his wife for a third time, not wishing to have to repeat himself again. </p><p>A fresh wave of tears rolled down Astoria's cheeks, cutting through lines of salt that had previously dried in their wake. "I'm pregnant."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Muahahahaha! I'm so evil I know! Pregnant? ASTORIA? but how? This are about to move very quickly so you're not going to want to miss next week's chapter! It's gonna be juicy!</p>
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<a name="section0034"><h2>34. Unforgivable</h2></a>
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</div>Draco couldn't believe what he'd just heard. There was a growing ringing in his ears as he stared at her, and she began talking. He couldn't hear what she was saying, his mind going foggy. Finally he just grabbed her by the shoulders, startling her.<p>"What the fuck do you mean you're pregnant?" He asked, having not heard whatever explanation she'd started to give. </p><p>Astoria started crying anew. "I'm so sorry, Draco. It wasn't supposed to happen. He was just going to watch, but he-"</p><p>Draco shook his head, feeling his face heat up with anger. "Start from the beginning. When did this happen? With who?"</p><p>Astoria took a moment to collect herself so that she could answer him, sniffling deeply. "It was almost two months ago. I was at a club in Milan, and I met this girl, and she was gorgeous." She sniffed again and leaned back, resting her back against the toy box. Draco sat back as well, knees up and arms resting over them, defeated. "We danced, we drank, we made out…" She sighed. "I went with her back to her place, I had no idea she was married." She groaned and ran her fingers back through her hair. "I should have just left. He said he just wanted to watch, and I'd had a lot to drink. I mean, a lot." </p><p>Tears filled her eyes again. "At some point he joined in, with her, and I didn't think much of it as long as she kept eating me out. But at some point positions got changed up and the next thing I knew…" Fat black tears fell through her mascara-heavy lashes. </p><p>Draco was staring at her. "So this man forced himself on you?" he asked, concerned. If she was taken advantage of there'd be hell to pay. She was still his wife, and he'd defend her to the end. </p><p>Astoria shut her eyes, unable to look at him as she answered. She shook her head. "No. He didn't force himself. I was just so caught up in it…"</p><p>He didn't force her, which meant that she'd consented, however influenced she may have been. He knew her. He knew she'd do almost anything for a good time. Draco nodded his understanding. "And he finished in you," he deduced. </p><p>"No!" Astoria said urgently. "No, he didn't! I didn't think so anyway. But it had to have been him. He's the only one…"</p><p>Draco nodded again and pushed himself up into standing. "Is he, though?" Draco asked bitterly. It might not have seemed fair to make such an assumption, but she'd had sex with other men before him, and she'd had sex with him a lot before Scorpius came along. What if she wasn't a lesbian after all? What if it was a phase, and she was just too afraid to take it back now that he was with Hermione? What if she was actually bisexual, like so many of the witches she hooked up with? "Your right, you fucked up."</p><p>Astoria looked up at Draco with wide eyes. There'd been a venom in his voice she wasn't used to hearing. "Draco…"</p><p>Draco began pacing the room. He couldn't look at her. "You're sure you're pregnant?" he asked. Maybe it was just a suspicion. </p><p>Astoria watched him tearfully. He was ashamed of her, she could tell, but she was too familiar with his wrath to think to lie. "I've taken tests. I've had the healer pay a visit. Both confirmed it." She sniffed deeply once more, her nose still running from all the crying. </p><p>Never once had Draco thought that this was a possibility. Draco had made it very clear when they came up with their arrangement that if she was going to involve herself with other women, they had to be just that, women. He wasn't going to tolerate her taking male lovers. She could argue that he broke the rules first, but he was quite sure her getting fucked by some strange man and getting pregnant was worse than him falling in love. </p><p>He finally looked at her again, curled in on herself against the toy chest, looking small and pitiful. He didn't pity her. Not in the least. "How could you do this? To us? To our son?" he shouted at her, making her jump and began sobbing anew. She didn't answer so he continued. "You've been so busy clinging to your youth and trying to fuck everything with tits that you didn't stop to think, for one minute, that letting some bloke get his rocks off in a threesome could have devastating effects on our family? You're so fucking selfish, you know that?" He grabbed a stuffed animal off a shelf and chucked it violently across the room. The soft thud it made when it hit the wall, and then the floor, wasn't remotely satisfying.</p><p>"I know," Astoria croaked. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you, I-"</p><p>"Fuck you, Astoria! You've been hurting me every day for years, and I've been foolish enough to let you." He pointed an angry finger at her. "I'm fucking done. I don't deserve this."</p><p>Astoria choked on a sob. "What?" There was obvious fear in her voice, she didn't know what he was saying but it couldn't be good. </p><p>"I said I'm fucking done! Get out! I don't want you here anymore. I don't want to be married to you anymore!" Draco's heart was pounding, his head felt like it might explode from overheating. </p><p>"Draco you don't mean that," Astoria tried softly, using the box to help her into her feet. She remained pressed flat against the wall behind her, afraid to approach him. She'd never known this side of him. </p><p>"The fuck I don't." Draco glared at her, chest heaving as she practically shook in the corner. He'd come to regret this treatment later, but in the moment he had never known such anger. "I'm leaving. I'll be back at noon tomorrow. I expect you to be gone."</p><p>He left then, vaguely aware that he had the capacity to be much, much meaner if he stuck around any longer. He went to the condo and, after enjoying a few shots of tequila, he flopped down on the couch, turning on the television as a distraction. It didn’t work well. He couldn’t stop thinking about it. She was pregnant with another man’s child. He was in love with another woman. Maybe it really was time to call it quits. His only hesitation was Scorpius. He was only three. Was getting out of their marriage now better than waiting until he was old enough to know his parents’ marriage wasn’t real? Or would breaking apart their family do more damage than good? And what of this second child? It might not be his, but it was his son’s sibling, which made him feel partially responsible. Still, it was hard enough raising Scorpius within a sham of a marriage, to think of trying to raise another… He didn’t know if he could do it. He didn’t know if he could love that child as it’d deserve to be loved. He couldn’t be this baby’s father.</p><p>After a couple of hours, and a bit more to drink, Draco called Hermione, not knowing who else to talk to. He almost didn’t realize, at first, that he’d gotten her voicemail, as it’d never happened before. He began talking to her. “Hermione… I’m sorry I’m calling so late. You’re probably sleeping,” he said to her, and sighed. “Everything is falling apart. My marriage is… fucked. I need you. I’ll be at the flat tonight. If you can come, please… I need to see you.” He hung up and groaned, tossing his phone onto the coffee table and rubbing his hands over his face in frustration. He was feeling rather buzzed, and his head was foggy. He leaned back on the couch, closing his eyes. He let the television distract him until he managed to doze off where he sat.</p><p>Hermione didn’t realize that she missed a call until she plugged her phone in before bed. She’d left it in the kitchen while getting settled for the night. As soon as she put the phone on the charger she saw the notification for a voicemail, and listened to it with increasing concern. She looked off toward the bathroom, where Ron was finishing getting ready for bed, and sighed. She’d never heard Draco like this. He was drunk, and clearly very upset about something, something to do with his marriage. She hesitated, and then got back out of bed. Ron wasn’t going to like this, but she didn’t much care.</p><p>“Ron, I’m leaving. Something came up, I think it might be an emergency.” She was genuinely worried. She changed out of her pajamas into a simple sundress, not because it was cute enough to wear for Draco but because it was the easiest possible thing to throw on. She grabbed her phone charger from the wall, her phone still in need of charging after a long day. “I’ve gotta run.”</p><p>Ron poked his head out of the bathroom, watching her busy around the room. “Are you bloody joking?” It was past midnight. She was leaving, now? But Hermione wasn't slowing down to explain herself. </p><p>She hurried downstairs, slipped into a pair of sandals, shoved her phone and it's charger into her purse as she put it on her shoulder, and was out the front door within minutes of hearing the message. She apparated to the flat as soon as she was off the front step. </p><p>The first thing she noticed was that the television was on. She set her purse down on the dining table and stepped around the couch to find Draco passed out across it, a glass of scotch on the rocks melted into a pale amber color on the coffee table. There was still condensation on the glass, he couldn't have been out long. </p><p>"Draco," she greeted him in a clear voice, not too loudly to startle him by hopefully enough to wake him. She sat herself gingerly on the edge of the couch next to him. "Draco, wake up." She reached out and gently pushed some of his hair back. It was starting to grow out a bit. She thought he seemed to enjoy having a little extra length on top these days, though he kept the sides neatly trimmed down. It reminded her of his hair in their final year at Hogwarts, a little extra grown out, a little wild compared to years prior. Something he could run his fingers through. </p><p>Draco stirred at the combination of her voice and her touch, and when his eyes opened he was confused for a brief moment. "Hey," he greeted her, and before he could offer a smile the events of that evening came back to him, and he was thrown back into a state of despair. The only redemption for that moment was that she'd come to him. "You're here," he stated dumbly, moving to sit upright. The act made his head spin, and he shut his eyes for a moment. </p><p>"Of course I came," Hermione answered, moving to sit next to him now. The last time she'd seen him this drunk she'd been in a worse state than him. It was a very unusual thing to witness from a sober perspective. "What's going on? Did something happen with Astoria?" </p><p>The last time they'd spoken about his marriage was when she'd learned that he almost gave into her desperate attempt to be the only serious relationship in his life, which was deplorably selfish, all this considered. Hermione was glad he'd waited to tell her until recently, or else his later declaration of love would have been tainted by the knowledge of that moment of weakness. </p><p>"Astoria did something… unforgivable," he told her. </p><p>Hermione's eyes went wide, wondering what that could be. The woman was already traipsing all over Europe getting her rocks off with every pretty lady who was willing to give it a go. What more could she have done to put Draco in such a state? "I don't understand. What did she-" Hermione sighed, watching Draco place his head in his hands, staring down at his lap. He looked absolutely broken, and it made her heart hurt along with his. "What happened?" She asked again softly, placing her hand on his knee. </p><p>Draco wasn't even sure how to put into words what he'd learned. "She took it too far with a woman she met. A married woman. She-" He dragged his hands down his face and sat up again, looking at Hermione. The deep and true concern he found in his eyes made his already broken heart swell. He wasn't sure anyone had ever cared as much about him as she did in that moment, except perhaps his mother. Yes, certainly his mother, but never a lover. "She let the husband participate, and now she's pregnant." Just getting the words out made him feel ill, but that might have been the scotch and tequila dueling it out in his stomach. </p><p>Hermione covered her mouth with her hands, eyes wide with shock. "Oh merlin!" It was no wonder he was such a wreck. She lowered her hands. "Draco I'm so sorry! That's…" She couldn't find a word for it. It was shocking, and confusing, and disgusting (not the threesome part, she wasn't one to judge what got people off, but the betrayal of it all), and worst of all, it was devastating, especially to a family already on the verge of breaking. She didn't think there was a word that could properly encompass all that. "Unbelievable." How could she do such a thing? How could she deny Draco the affection a wife was supposed to give and then give it to a random man instead, and then worsen it by not even bothering to be safe! The audacity! "How could she?"</p><p>"The usual excuse," Draco said, not just of his wife, but of their entire collective royally fucked up blended family unit. "She was drunk." He willed himself never to use alcohol as an excuse for his actions again. </p><p>The irony of that statement didn't go unnoticed. "Of course she was," Hermione said critically with a frown. She was trying very hard not to be a hypocrite. It could have very easily been her. It was how their affair had started, after all, both in school and now so many years later. "So what are you going to do?" They had talked at length about what they'd do if they slipped up and got pregnant, but they'd never thought to talk about what should happen if one of their spouses was expecting another child outside of their respective marriages. </p><p>Draco sighed and raked his fingers through his hair, an anxious habit. "I totally freaked out on her. I… kicked her out."</p><p>"Oh." " Hermione was surprised to hear that. She was aware that he had a soft-spot for his wife, their marriage had started out on a foundation of love and respect, after all. The idea of him throwing her out sat funny with her, and she frowned. Perhaps it was just the idea of throwing any pregnant woman out that made her so uncomfortable, but then again, it wasn't as though Astoria didn't have a family to return to. She had parents, and a sister. She'd be fine. If anything, she was worried about how Draco would look, first to be cheated on, and then to be cold enough to throw her out. Of course, Hermione knew better, the story was so much more complex than that, but it wasn't as though that could ever really be explained, not without airing a disturbing amount of dirty laundry. "Wow."</p><p>"I was pretty mean about it, actually," Draco told her miserably. </p><p>Hermione turned her body to face him and rested one arm on the back of the couch, her hand draped over his shoulder. “What did you say to her?”</p><p>Draco took a moment to try to remember. “I told her she was selfish, and that I didn’t deserve to be hurt by her, and that I was done. I didn’t want to be married to her anymore, I wanted her gone.”</p><p>Hermione could see that he was bothered by his freak-out. It was entirely justified, but it only feels good in the moment. She knew from experience. “Shit, Draco…” Her heart began hammering against her chest, filling her with anxiety. “Do you mean it?” she asked after a long hesitation. “Are you really going to split up?” She was highly aware that if he ended his marriage, her resolve would be weakened. She might not be strong enough not to follow suit.</p><p>Draco sighed heavily. He could tell she was nervous about his response, staring at him intently. He couldn’t tell if the look in her eye was fear or excitement. “It’s too fucked up,” he told her. “Isn’t it bad enough I have to fake my way through my marriage with her? Now I have to watch her grow and raise some random prick’s baby?” He shook his head. “I’ve always wanted Scorpius to have a bigger family but not like this.” Draco let out another defeated sigh, and reached over, pulling Hermione’s legs over his lap. He craved to have her close to him. Hermione shifted and adjusted herself on the couch accordingly, putting her arms around his neck and resting her head on his shoulder.</p><p>“So you’ll get a divorce,” Hermione concluded, listening to his heart beating in his chest, feeling his body swell and deflate with each breath. </p><p>“What will I tell people?” Draco stared blankly at the television, not paying any attention to the scene playing out. </p><p>Hermione thought about that for a moment. She knew he wasn’t actually expecting her to have the answer, but she wanted to. She wanted to help, somehow. After a minute or two she hoped she’d found the right words. “You’ll tell them that you and her want different things out of life, and that it’s the only way for both of you to be happy. And if you’re both happy, you’ll be much better parents to your son, even apart.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>One marriage blown to hell? How long until the other follows suit? I know you're all just waiting with baited breath for the day that comes, and I can't blame you! If Draco follows through with a divorce, will Hermione do the same? OMG So many questions! I'm curious, what do you think will happen?</p>
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<a name="section0035"><h2>35. I Like Girls</h2></a>
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    <p>Hermione was happy to be able to help calm Draco down, but the thought of Draco and Astoria getting a divorce terrified her for many reasons. Even though he’d never said it, she couldn’t help thinking that once he was single, he’d want her to follow suit, and she couldn’t blame him! She’d love to have the freedom to be with him, wholly. There was little more she wanted in the world. But long before Draco had come into the picture she had set the ball that was her political career rolling. She felt an obligation to their community, to protect them, to serve them, to make their lives and the lives of the muggles and muggleborns they interact with better. Was that more important to her than the option of creating a life with Draco?</p><p>She chose to spend the night with him, and at some point in the early hours of morning the two of them made love several times over. She hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep, but it was worth it. She looked over at the clock in the bedroom and groaned. “I have to go,” she told him regretfully. “We’re supposed to have brunch at the Burrow.”</p><p>Draco groaned his complaint, wrapping his arms possessively around her body. “No, don’t leave me,” he pleaded in a whiny, childish tone. It broke Hermione’s heart, because even though he was clearly joking, she knew that his desire to keep her there was real. </p><p>Hermione turned over in his arms to face him, reaching one hand up to stroke his cheek gently. “I know, I know, but I have to. I don’t want to, I have to.” She kissed him tenderly, before disentangling herself from his embrace and getting out of the bed in which no sleep had taken place. She needed a shower. </p><p>After her shower Hermione humored Draco a few minutes longer by sticking around for a cup of coffee, since he'd gone through the effort of brewing it, but before she could finish her phone was ringing. Hermione sighed at the name on her screen. </p><p>"Yeah, he called a couple times while you were in the shower," Draco told her. </p><p>"What?" Hermione groaned. "Why didn't you tell me? Hello?" She answered the line, giving Draco a stern look. </p><p>"If you and your boyfriend are finished over there, I could use your help getting the kids ready," Ron skipped the greeting to say to her. </p><p>"I know," Hermione agreed. "I'm on my way, just leaving now. I'll be home in a minute."</p><p>"Right," Ron said doubtfully, and hung up. </p><p>Hermione looked at her phone, at the flashing time that indicated the thirty-seven second call. He'd hung up on her! She glared at the device as she shoved it into her dress, which had pockets, one of the reasons she loved it so much. "I've gotta go," she told Draco. She stretched up on her toes to give him a kiss. She wasn't usually so short compared to him, but she was still barefoot. "Let me know how things go at home, yeah?" She hated to run off so quickly, but she'd sworn to uphold all family commitments.</p><p>"I will." Draco pulled her back for one more lingering kiss before releasing her. "Love you," he told her, something he didn't say too often because it still felt weird.</p><p>"Love you too," Hermione agreed, before grabbing her purse from the hook by the front door and, with one more sympathetic look, she disapparated. </p><p>Draco lingered, taking his good time. He finished his coffee, took a long, hot shower, and cleaned the flat spotless. By the time he was done it was barely eleven. He wasn't ready to go home. He wasn't ready to face her. He told her not to be there, but he didn't trust she'd listen. She was stubborn, and not in a cute way. </p><p>He wasted his time until noon watching television, but his mind wandered greatly. How had their marriage fallen apart so quickly? How had he let it? He still remembered the moment he realized he loved her. </p><p>It was about a year before they married. The two of them were at a Christmas party hosted by a friend of her parents. She wore a shimmering gold gown that hung off her shoulders, and flowed straight to the floor, but not before hugging her hips and showing off the flatness of her stomach and her pelvic bone. She had a glass of white wine in hand, and was surrounded by eager wizards. She stood between them, letting them carry on and make her laugh. Every once and a while she looked across the room to catch his eye, just to remind him she knew she was his. She simply fed on the attention. </p><p>After a few minutes of watching as she ate up all of their mating displays, Draco strode up to them, wrapping his arm around Astoria's waist. </p><p>"Draky!" Astoria greeted him excitedly, planting a big, passionate kiss on his lips. Draco kissed her back as if no one was there to see, both hands on her waist now as he pulled her in to him. "Gentlemen," Astoria said somewhat breathlessly, grinning as she rested her hands on his chest. "You know my boyfriend, Draco Malfoy?" She looked back at the circle of horny wizards.</p><p>That was his favorite part, the complete and utter shock and fear they showed when they realized how colossally mistaken they were to try to pick up his girl. Draco fed on it, and their disappointment, the same way she did their efforts. "No hard feelings, gentlemen. She just can't help herself. A notorious flirt, this one."</p><p>She was shameless, they both were. It was like foreplay to them. And he knew right then that he'd happily spend the rest of his life making every man who met his girl bitterly jealous. </p><p>The following summer Astoria informed him that she was pregnant, and the news, which Draco had always expected would terrify him, instead filled him with a sense of purpose, and clarity. He proposed to her a couple weeks later, with her father's blessing, at her birthday party, in front of all their friends and family. </p><p>Their mothers immediately set to planning the wedding of Astoria's dreams, neither parent aware that she soon wouldn't fit the dress her mother had been keeping for her. They'd been so happy, so ready. It felt as if his life was finally starting. He would no longer be Draco Malfoy the death eater. He would be Draco Malfoy the father, the husband. </p><p>When the news came early that fall that the baby's heart wasn't beating, Draco wasn't sure Astoria would ever recover from the loss. Upon bringing her home from the hospital the morning following her procedure, Draco climbed into bed with her and held onto her while she shook and sobbed, a display of emotion he'd never dreamed her capable of. Two days they remained like that, both of them inconsolable. </p><p>He vowed to her then that he loved her, that he was going to marry her no matter what, and that they had plenty of time to have hoards of children. He vowed to make her a mother, and before they'd been married a year they'd managed to conceive again. </p><p>It wasn't always smooth sailing, though. Astoria never told anyone about her loss, instead choosing to bury her grief. After the wedding Draco had expected her to settle in, enjoy the honeymoon phase, and begin nesting for the child they wished to have. Instead she continued in the same pattern of youth and bachelorettehood she knew before their wedding. She drank more than he liked, but then, if he didn't say anything about it before the wedding, why would he think he could expect anything different after? He wasn’t looking to change her. Little did he know, she was changing plenty all on her own.</p><p>After learning that she was pregnant a second time she did quickly settle down, but her sex drive vanished without a trace. Try as Draco might, she denied all of his advances. Some of her excuses he found reasonable, such as morning sickness, and mood swings (which were admittedly a turn-off to him as well), but after a while the excuses became more and more petty, and pretty soon Draco was sure of one thing, she had lost all interest in being touched by him. It was baffling, and frustrating. He felt her tense up every time he kissed her, or put his arms around her in their bed. Finally, Draco came home from work one day, frustrated from months of not being allowed to make love to his own wife.</p><p>“Can we talk?” he asked, finding her in the nursery, folding a bunch of newborn clothes she and her mother had recently gone on a shopping spree for. </p><p>Astoria offered him an innocent smile, wondering what she was about to be lectured on. Probably overspending, or the fact that their son couldn’t possibly need so much clothes. The joke was on him, he absolutely needed five outfits a day to last him a month. They had no house elf, and she didn’t plan to spend the first few weeks of motherhood doing loads and loads of laundry. “Yeah,” she agreed, and set down the designer onesie she’d been folding. “What about?”</p><p>Draco looked around the room. She’d really gone all out to create the perfect place for their firstborn son to grow in. He was rather impressed. He also didn’t feel like this was the right place to have this talk. “Can we go downstairs and sit down?” He didn’t think their kid’s nursery was the appropriate place to ask her why she was no longer putting out.</p><p>They went down into the kitchen and sat at the breakfast table. Astoria seemed to have caught on that her husband was upset about something, and frowned as she lowered herself into a chair. Even for a pregnant woman she was quite small, having only gained fifteen pounds going into her third trimester. Draco lectured her often about needing to gain more, but the healer had assured them that she and the baby were both healthy. “What’s this about, Draco?” she asked him, worried.</p><p>Draco sighed, looking at his seemingly flawless wife. She did take very good care of herself, and he valued that about her. She took pride in her appearance, in the way she presented herself to the world. Even today, when she was just at home unpacking her many purchases, she had her golden hair curled into perfect flowy waves and makeup done up to perfect. She wore a grey and white striped dress that made her small but pronounced bump disappear all together when viewed from the front. And even though she was just in the house, she wore a pair of five inch pumps, the same kind she used to wear out dancing with her girlfriends on the weekends. Indeed, Astoria was still exactly the same on the outside as he’d always known her, but something on the inside had changed drastically, and he was determined to find out what it was.</p><p>“Do you not love me anymore?” It seemed like a silly question to ask. They’d been married little more than a year, they were steady, and seemingly quite happy, but she didn’t feel like his lover, not as he’d known her for the last three years.</p><p>Astoria stared at Draco with wide eyes. “What?” she asked, her already pale face flushing. “Why would you ask me that?” She knew things had been different lately, she had been different lately, but she was having a hard time wrapping her head around why that was.</p><p>“Sto, I know you, probably as well as it’s possible for anyone to know you. Which means that I know you’re keeping something from me. You won’t let me near you. You flinch when I try to touch you. We haven’t had sex in like… almost six months.” He frowned, and she looked down at her lap, distracting herself by wringing a cloth napkin in her lap nervously. </p><p>“I know,” she admitted, ashamed.</p><p>“So tell me why,” Draco implored. “Why don’t you want me anymore?” He’d never felt so insecure as he did, watching his wife’s eyes fill with tears as he begged her to tell him a truth she didn’t want to share.</p><p>“I don’t know why,” Astoria lied. “I mean it’s not that I don’t-” she corrected herself quickly, but it was a feeble attempt to take back what she actually meant all along. </p><p>Draco’s heart began to pound in his chest, the sound of blood rushing through his ears created a deafening hum. “Is it someone else?” His leg began to bounce under the table, the heel of his shoe tapping against the marble floor lightly. </p><p>“No!” Astoria looked up at him and denied immediately, quickly enough, at least, that Draco believed her. “No, there’s no one else, and you’re not the problem, I am.” She still hadn’t figured out how to put into words how that was. </p><p>He didn’t understand. “Is this about… the first baby?” They didn’t talk about the child they’d lost about two years prior. It was too painful a memory, for both of them.</p><p>Astoria shook her head and squinted her eyes shut, and a couple tears fell through her heavily mascaraed lashes, painting a trail of black in their wake. Her arms wrapped defensively around her stomach at the mention of the loss. “No, it’s not about that, and it’s not about him, either.” She dabbed her eyes with the cloth, staining the clean white with her eye makeup. </p><p>“Well for fuck’s sake, Astoria… Talk to me.” He just wanted her to communicate. He was going insane trying to figure it out for himself. “Just tell me what it is so I can fix-”</p><p>“I like girls!” Astoria blurted out suddenly, frustrated by her own struggle to find a more tactful way to say it. “And you can’t fix that! Believe me, I’ve been trying for the better part of two years.”</p><p>It was the last thing Draco had expected to hear. He would have laughed, if not for the evident gravity of the situation. “I don’t understand.” What did she mean she liked girls? She was a very popular girl, had a lot of female friends who she spent a great deal of her time with. It’d been that way for as long as he could remember, especially back in their Hogwarts days. “What are you trying to say? What does that mean?”</p><p>“It means that I’m attracted to women, rather exclusively I think. I think I always have been.” She bit her lip, looking up at him fearfully. She couldn’t tell how he was going to react.</p><p>“Women? Exclusively?” This time he did laugh. “Really now? Because I can think of a long list of blokes who might like to protest to that-”</p><p>“This isn’t funny, Draco!” she barked at him defensively this time. “I’ve been struggling with this for years! Do you have any idea how it feels to have your sexual preference perverted by men for their amusement? You think of two women together and you develop this erotic picture of foreplay and group-sex in your mind. It doesn’t even occur to you that those same women are drawn together for the exact reason that they aren’t men?” </p><p>Draco leaned back in his seat, assessing the lecture that had just been thrown his way. “Excuse me? When have I ever-”</p><p>“Not you you,” Astoria said with a groan. “You as in the collective you, men. Wizards. It’s not enough that you see your girlfriends and wives as prizes and possessions and baby makers, but Merlin forbid they prefer each other’s company over yours. It’s not even an option!”</p><p>“You’re serious.” Draco tried to think about any instance when he might have been guilty of such a thing. “So that time, a few weeks after our honeymoon, when your friend Elle came over…”</p><p>“That had far less to do with showing my new husband a good time and far more to do with me trying to see if I could-” She sighed. “I thought maybe that the occasional threesome could satisfy me, but it can’t. I can’t do this like this anymore.” She began to cry again. “I thought I could, I really did.”</p><p>Draco pushed his chair out and stood, beginning to pace the kitchen. “So you married me, knowing that you’d rather be with women? Why?”</p><p>“You wanted it so badly, and I didn’t want to disappoint you. And I do love you, Draco. I do!” She stood up, walking over to him. “You’re my best friend. There’s no one else in the world I’d rather spend my life with. No one else I’d rather build a life and a home and a family with.”</p><p>Draco was unimpressed by her heart-felt speech. “Have you been cheating on me?” Suddenly he couldn’t be sure if every night she’d spent out with her girlfriends had been a harmless night out with the girls or if she’d actually been in one of their beds.</p><p>Astoria sighed. “Draco, it’s not as if-”</p><p>“It’s still cheating!” He was becoming angry again. “You let me marry you, then went behind my back with other women, got me to have a baby with you, and then cut me off? You really wanted to lock in that Malfoy legacy that badly?” He’d been used, used by his best friend, and it cut deep. He didn’t think the Cruciatus curse had hurt this bad. </p><p>“I didn’t make you get me pregnant, Draco. You wanted to start trying again right away, remember?” Astoria claimed, taking a step back and cradling her belly with one hand. </p><p>Draco narrowed his eyes at her. “I thought it was what we wanted. I thought we were on the same page! You were so devastated when Carina-”</p><p>“Don’t you say her name to me!” Astoria sobbed. “Don’t you dare use her against me. Part of me died that day! And don’t you tell me you did too because you have no idea what it was like! You didn’t feel her moving and growing inside of you. You didn’t have to endure having her lifeless body being surgically removed from yours!” </p><p>Draco could feel a couple of hot angry tears fall. She was right, he had no idea what it was like to experience that pain, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t mourned the loss every day since right alongside her. “Did you know, when you agreed to marry me? Did you know that you preferred the company of women in your bed?”</p><p>“Yes!” Astoria answered defiantly, and shook her head. “I mean, no! Do you have any idea how confusing this is for me?”</p><p>“No!” Draco replied indignantly. “No, I don’t know how confusing this is. You’ve been with me for nearly four years. We’ve had sex… hundreds of times? And let’s not get started on the list of other guys who I know for a fact-”</p><p>“Okay, I get it, okay?” Astoria groaned in frustration and stomped her foot. “How comforting it must be to be unequivocally heterosexual!”</p><p>“So what does this mean for us now? Do you want to get a divorce?” He sighed. “I can’t believe you’ve just been faking it this whole time. Our whole marriage is a lie.”</p><p>“No!” Astoria cried, moving toward him and taking each of his hands in hers. “No, Draco, it’s not a lie. I love you. You are exactly the person I want to be with and we have exactly the life I’ve always wanted.” The marriage, the baby, the big fancy house. It was all she grew up dreaming of. Being a lesbian had in no way been factored into that equation. </p><p>“So where do we go from here? You’re just… never going to touch me again, or let me touch you again?” What kind of marriage was that supposed to be?</p><p>“You said it yourself, we’ve had sex hundreds of times. Hundreds! And if I have to play with a dick one more time I swear to Merlin I’m going to cry!” She was nearly crying again now just thinking about it. “Please, you can shag anyone you want. Anyone.”</p><p>Draco stared at her, stunned. He was at a complete loss for words. She’d always been so enthusiastic in bed. She’d never been a fan of sucking cock, but he’d learned to get over that. “You’re really that repulsed by me?” He’d never been so offended in all his life.</p><p>“You're a beautiful man, Draco. I’m quite proud to be the one who gets to stand next to you, but your penis, yes, absolutely. They’re disgusting, every last one.” It was so blunt it almost sounded like a joke. He knew it wasn’t. </p><p>“So why marry me at all?”</p><p>“Because I’m twenty-five. If not you then my parents would have found my another ideal suitor and I’d be married to him right now instead. And I’m glad it’s you.” She brought her hands up to hold his face, but he stopped her, bringing her hands down again.</p><p>“If it had to be anyone. You’re glad it’s me you get to live your lie for.”</p><p>“I didn’t know I was going to feel this way. I didn’t! If I had known I never would have gone through with it. I tried, I really did, but then I realized that it was never going to end. I never get to stop playing the role.” </p><p>Draco looked at her and suddenly saw what the problem really was. She was a caged animal, anxious, panicked, pacing, ready for any opportunity to run, and hurt whoever got in the way. The only trouble was she was the one who’d locked herself in.</p><p>“You really want me to shag other women?”</p><p>“Yes!” Astoria said, equally eager and exhausted. </p><p>“And you’d like to shag other women also?” Astoria nodded. “And this can’t be done all at the same time?” Her eyes narrowed toward Draco, and he forced out a short laugh. “I had to try.”</p><p>“We did try, remember?” Astoria attempted a small laugh as well. It hadn’t been terrible, but it certainly wasn’t a solution.</p><p>Draco, defeated, returned to the breakfast table with a heavy thud, sighing. “There will need to be rules.”</p><p>“Absolutely,” Astoria agreed, joining him at the table. She couldn’t believe they were actually talking about this. She could see that Draco was hurting, but maybe, in the long run, this would prevent him from getting hurt much later down the line, and their child too.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This chapter was just going on and on and on like the energizer bunny so I decided to cut it! Part 2 to be released next week, or maybe later this week if I'm feeling extra productive.</p><p>I know a lot of you have been asking for the background story on Draco and Astoria's love story, so here it is. I hope you liked it, I hope it explains some things about the relationship they share.</p>
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<a name="section0036"><h2>36. Extramarital Agreement - BONUS SCENE</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here is a fun little bonus scene (not fun, not even a little bit fun) giving a little insight into the "agreement" Draco and Astoria entered into.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Wishing to put their arrangement on paper; Draco enlisted the help of the same lawyer who had written up their marriage agreement. It was two days before the legal wizard was able to sit with them in order to mediate the terms of their new contract. They met in the dining room, Draco and Astoria sitting across from each other while the lawyer sat at the table head. They started with the formalities, explaining the nature of the contract, and then, more suddenly than Draco was ready for, it was time to begin stating their terms. </p><p>"Your first clause, Mr Malfoy." The man was looking expectantly at them. </p><p>Draco had given this quite a lot of thought. He had come up with stipulations, as he was sure she had as well. The only way to ensure that no more hurt could be caused than had already taken place, they needed to be clear about what the other expected out of this marriage moving forward. </p><p>"The terms of this agreement void any infidelity stipulations defined in our original marriage contract, instead to be replaced by the new stipulations set forth today." Astoria nodded her agreement from across the table while the third scribbled down this sentiment. Draco went on. "I will henceforth be permitted to engage in sexual relations with individuals of my choosing outside of the marriage without reproach."</p><p>The wizard seemed surprised, hesitating a moment, before dutifully writing that down. </p><p>"Mrs Astoria Malfoy will henceforth be permitted to engage in sexual relations with consenting female partners of her choosing without reproach." This time the attorney was indeed surprised. He looked up from his parchment to glance between the two. Draco nodded to confirm what he'd said and the wizard went back to writing; the list of rules carried on. </p><p>"Both parties will coordinate schedules to ensure someone is always available to be home to care for our son."</p><p>"At no time is either party to bring a sexual partner into our shared home."</p><p>"At no time should our son be introduced to the partner of either party unless agreed upon by both parties in advance."</p><p>"At no time may either party publicly display affection or in any other way expose a relationship of their own or that of the other party.”</p><p>“When in public both parties will maintain the image of a happy loving family. They will attend all family, social, and business functions together.”</p><p>Draco looked across the table at Astoria, who was looking down at her hands on the table. She was fidgeting with her wedding band, admiring the engagement ring he gave her after learning that she was first pregnant. When she felt his eyes on her she looked up. The two stared at each other for a long moment, both wondering if they were making a mistake. Both wondering how they'd gotten to this point so quickly. Their son, who was to be named Scorpius, was not even born and they were already renegotiating their marriage. A sudden bitterness washed over him. </p><p>"While neither party is obligated to divulge the identity of their lover or lovers, questions, when reasonably asked, must be answered truthfully."</p><p>"Both parties will commit to engaging in safe sexual practices to avoid risk pregnancy outside of the marriage, as well as the risk of sexually transmitted disease or infection."</p><p>"Mrs Malfoy is only to engage in sexual acts with other females. If she is found to have engaged in sexual acts with a man who is not Mr Malfoy this contract will be voided and the marriage dissolved in accordance to the terms set forth in the original marriage agreement."</p><p>Astoria's eyes went wide. "Draco you know I don't want to-"</p><p>"Just agree, Sto," he interrupted her stoically.</p><p>Astoria nodded quickly. "Of course."</p><p>Draco sighed. "Do you have anything to add?" he asked his wife. </p><p>Astoria opened her mouth to speak, but paused, thinking. She frowned and shook her head. “No, I think that’s everything,” she agreed.</p><p>Though these changes didn’t go into effect until after the birth of their son, it was this day that their relationship was forever changed, and Draco didn’t believe he’d ever love a woman again.</p>
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<a name="section0037"><h2>37. Return to Malfoy Manor</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Draco dreaded returning home, and was absolutely unsurprised to find that Astoria had in fact defied him by being there when he arrived. He sighed, but given the presence of their son did not immediately jump to the attack. </p><p>"You're here," he instead stated the obvious, going into the kitchen to get himself lunch. He could do with the distraction, it would keep his anger at bay, he hoped. </p><p>"Draco, we need to talk about this," Astoria implored, following him but keeping the peninsula between them for her own safety. </p><p>"I really don't think we do," he told her, gathering what he needed to fix a sandwich. The bread, meat, cheese, vegetables, everything to prolong having to face her. He didn't want to look at her, couldn't. </p><p>"Of course we do. Baby, I made a mist-" Draco's fist pounding suddenly against the granite countertop startled her into silence.</p><p>"Don't you call me that, after everything you've put me through." Still he avoided the temptation to look in her direction. As soon as he did he knew it'd break his resolve. "You broke the one rule, the one rule that you knew would immediately put an end to all of this! And to make matters worse, you weren't even safe." Sure, he was aware that he'd broken the "safe sex" rule a hundred times with Hermione, but they were still very careful, especially after their little scare. </p><p>Astoria watched him angrily spreading condiment onto his bread. “But that doesn’t mean it has to, Draco. You don’t have to leave me!” She knew that she was grasping at straws at this point, but she was desperate.</p><p>“I’m not leaving you,” Draco said, folding slices of deli meat into his bread. “I’m throwing your whore ass out. There’s a difference.” As soon as he said it, he sighed. It was a low blow, even if it did seem appropriate. He heard her gasp, and finally turned to look at her. The look of complete shock on her face irritated him. Did she really believe herself innocent? Did she believe his words out of line in some way? </p><p>"It's the one thing, the one thing you knew would drive me away, and you did it anyway. You did this, Astoria, and frankly I'm relieved." He finished assembling his sandwich and drew a much larger knife than might have been necessary in order to cut it in half. </p><p>Astoria scoffed. "You're just saying that because of your little girlfriend, Granger. You know she's not going to leave him, right? That that power hungry little mud-"</p><p>"Say one more word and you'll find your things on the lawn within the hour!" Draco bellowed furiously. He glared at her, and she recoiled under the heat of it. </p><p>"I'm sorry." She shook her head. "I didn't mean that."</p><p>"No, Astoria, I think you did mean it. I think you've been acting out for months on some petty revenge plot because you can't stand that I've finally found someone to love who actually loves me back. Only you fucked it up, and now here you are, pregnant with some stranger's child, and I'm supposed to feel bad for you? I'm supposed to have mercy on you?" He laughed, a sarcastic and humorless laugh. "I'd rather raise Weasley's children with her than raise some other man's baby with you."</p><p>"And what about Scorpius? Are you throwing him out with me? Are you planning on taking care of him yourself?" She scoffed mockingly, as though she didn't believe him up to the task. "How are you going to explain to him why his mum's gone?"</p><p>Draco's stare was venomous. "I'll just tell him you're on another one of your extended weekends abroad," he said just to hurt her. "Besides, I'm sure my mother would be more than happy to-"</p><p>"You haven't spoken to your mother in two years!" Astoria interrupted, laughing doubtfully.</p><p>"And who's fault is that? The only reason she caught me in that hotel with that other witch was because you pushed me to go see what was out there. Now my mother thinks she's raised an adulterer, and I've not yet figured out how to tell her that instead she raised a son who's been cuckold by his lesbian wife for four years!"</p><p>Astoria was about to shout back, but no retort came to her. She let out an angry huff through her nose. "Fine, involve your mother. Tell her everything." Tears began to sting at her eyes. "Just don't forget the part about you falling in love with the last available witch in the country. I'm sure she'll love that!" She turned and stormed away. </p><p>Draco stared down at his untouched sandwich. Perfectly made and incredibly appetizing. He no longer felt any desire to eat. He considered throwing the plate across the room in a fit of rage, but he was aware that Scorpius was just in the other room. He’d likely heard them fighting to some degree, he didn’t want to make it worse. He instead went to the pantry and found some crisps and added them to the plate. He poured two glasses of pumpkin juice, and brought the lot, on a tray, into the great room where Scorpius was riding his toy broom just a foot or so above the ground around the large, open space. </p><p>“Hey Scorp, buddy, you want to come have lunch with me?” he offered. Scorpius, who was nearly four now, skidded to a halt mid-air, before lowering himself to the floor. “You’re getting really good at that,” Draco told him. “Maybe daddy will have to build you a pitch in the back for you to practice in.”</p><p>“Really?” Scorpius asked, dropping his broom unceremoniously to the floor, which echoed through the large room. “Awesome!”</p><p>Draco winced. “Perhaps broom care lessons first, though,” he told him, before settling on the floor with his son. It drove Astoria crazy when they ate in inappropriate places of the house, so laid out across her seven hundred galleon area rug in the center of the great room seemed like a great place for lunch with a four year old. He set the tray down and rested on one side, grabbing a crisp and taking a bite. Scorpius flopped into a criss-crossed position next to Draco, and took a long drink of his pumpkin juice. It was these little moments, these fun, out of the ordinary moments, that he hoped Scorpius remembered most.</p><p>After lunch Draco brought Scorpius upstairs to occupy himself in his playroom while he went to change out of the previous day’s clothes. Astoria was digging through her own closet, and Draco realized she had a bag out. Either she realized that she had officially overstayed her welcome, or she was preparing to claim one of the many spare rooms.</p><p>“Since you’re still here,” Draco started while he undressed. “Would you mind staying here? I think I would like to go have a chat with Mum, fill her in, make sure she’s the first to know.” Maybe the second would be his lawyer, the same one who’d drafted both the premarital and extramarital agreements. </p><p>Astoria didn’t bother poking her head out of the closet when she replied. “You mean you didn’t tell your girlfriend you were kicking me the curb?” she asked bitterly, pulling dresses off their hangers. She could have done it magically, but she was sure her continued presence was bothering him, and at the moment she wanted him to feel bothered. Sure, she’d signed the agreement, but she’d never actually thought he’d follow through with a divorce! The shame of it all! The embarrassment! </p><p>“Ah,” Draco said. “Thanks for the reminder. I guess that’ll make Mum second then.” He tossed all of his dirty clothes into the hamper and began dressing in something fresh. “I’m not sure when I’ll be back.”</p><p>Astoria came out of the closet then, a stack of dressing that looked like they probably weighed more than she did laid over her arm. Draco was just stepping into black freshly pressed trousers. She pouted, but he didn’t seem to notice. “Are you going to tell her horrible things about me?”</p><p>Draco sighed and rolled his eyes. “I’ll tell her nothing more and nothing less than the truth.” He was tired of lying. It was all this lying that’d kept him away from the only family he had left for so long.</p><p>“You’re going to out me.” Astoria’s tone was much sharper now, and this time it did get Draco’s attention.</p><p>“Don’t do that. You don’t get to do that, Astoria. You created this. You created all of this. You’ve no one to blame but you.” He had no sympathy for her. It’d run out in the last four years.</p><p>Astoria’s mouth fell open with a gasp at his words, but she closed it quickly. He wasn’t wrong, she just didn’t like hearing it. “But…” She bit her lip, stumbling with the weight of the dresses in her arms. She sighed, dropped them to the floor, and flicked her wand. The dresses began to pack themselves away for her. “Your mum will tell mine. It won’t make sense. Are you leaving me because I’m gay, or because I’m pregnant?” It was a very hard reality to think about.</p><p>Draco finished buttoning up his shirt and began tucking it in. “Again, I’m not leaving, you are. Not just because you’re gay, but because you started this marriage cheating, and you’ve ended this marriage cheating, and I’m not going to tolerate it anymore. It’s not my problem if your parents find out you’re gay. I’ve kept your secret long enough.” He hadn’t owed it to her, he’d done her a favor, because he’d loved her, and he thought that some day she’d come to her senses and realize that she still wanted the traditional family, the way it was supposed to be.</p><p>“But my parents-”</p><p>“Are not my problem!” Draco snapped this time. He opened a drawer, revealing several neartly spiraled belts. He took a moment to select a fine black leather one with a silver metal tip and buckle. “I lived up to my commitment, Sto. I did everything I was supposed to do. You couldn’t even be mine for a year. Not a bloody year!”</p><p>“I’m sorry, Draco,” Astoria choked out.</p><p>Draco sighed. “I know you are,” he agreed. “But you’re only sorry because you ruined it.” She wasn’t sorry because she hurt him. She wasn’t sorry because she wished she could take it back, or do it differently. She was sorry because it failed her, and her life a she knew it was caving in on itself. Well, as he’d told her, that wasn’t his problem.</p><p> </p><p>Draco hadn’t been to his family home in two years now. He hadn’t bothered to announce his visit ahead of time, but he hoped the surprise would be a pleasant one. He entered, not feeling a need to knock on a door through which he was entitled to enter. This home would belong to him some day, he hadn’t a clue what he’d do with it when that time came. He certainly didn’t plan to live in it.</p><p>“Mother?” Draco called out as he stepped into the foyer. “Are you home?” He heard the sound of china clattering gently in the next room, and a moment later the clack of heels against the smooth stone floor.</p><p>“Draco,” Narcissa greeted him with a gasp. “What are you doing here?” She didn’t seem displeased to see him, just caught off guard.</p><p>She looked well. It wasn’t as though that surprised him much, his mother had made a point to keep herself busy, involved. She’d donated away a large portion of his father’s money, and was an incredibly active philanthropist anymore. She seemed on a mission to try to undo her husband’s many, many sins, or at least earn some forgiveness for them.</p><p>“I came to talk,” Draco told her, greeting her with a kiss on her cheek. “We should have had this talk two years ago, but I didn’t know what to say to you.”</p><p>Narcissa frowned slightly. She remembered the last interaction she’d had with her son. It’d been a nasty fight, and she’d regretted some of the things she’d said to him. After everything he’d been through, and everything he’d become, she’d been so proud of him. Finding him at that hotel with another witch, a witch who was not his wife, not the mother of his child, well, it’d been a devastating discovery. She’d never felt ashamed of him before that day.</p><p>They moved into the drawing room. Narcissa reheated her tea, while Draco poured himself a brandy from the drink cart, before joining her on the couch. “So, what is it you need to tell me?” Narcissa asked, fearing the worst. Her heart was pounding, and she was praying her son hadn’t thrown away his marriage to such a suited match. </p><p>Draco took a sip as he considered where to start. “Four years ago, while Astoria was still pregnant with Scorpius, she came to me with some startling news,” Draco told her. He didn’t want her to think it had to do with Scorpius, so he continued quickly. “Astoria, as it turns out, is the kind of witch who… prefers the company of other witches.” Narcissa stared at him for a long moment, waiting for the part that was supposed to be revealing. Draco sighed. “In the bedroom, Mother.”</p><p>Narcissa blinked twice. “I beg your pardon?” She knew, of course, that there were witches who liked witches, and wizards who liked wizards, but it wasn’t something that was talked about, generally speaking. </p><p>Draco nodded. “Astoria came to me and told me that she prefers women, and that she’s, more or less, been faking it with me, and every partner before me. That she tried to force herself to push past these inclinations, but that she couldn’t anymore. She didn’t want to no longer be my wife, she just… no longer wanted to perform those kinds of wifely duties...” She’d been quite disgusted about it actually, he’d been terribly offended.</p><p>Stunned, Narcissa didn’t know what to say, and shook her head in denial, sipping her tea for something to do. “It’s absurd,” she muttered to herself. “A perfectly fine girl like her, from a family as respectable as theirs…”</p><p>“Oh, come off it, mother,” Draco said with a sigh. “It’s two-thousand eleven, people are gay, that includes magical people.” This was going to be harder than he thought.</p><p>Narcissa gave Draco a cross look for telling her to “come off it” in her own home. “If that was four years ago then why are the two of you still married?”</p><p>“Because we have a child, mother. Because we loved each other very much, even if her love for me could only be that of a friend and companion, a partner, rather than a lover.”</p><p>The senior witch was starting to put together how this could be at all relevant to the falling out they’d had over his little hotel hussy. “So what, then? I’m to believe that she just lets you go out and cavort with other women?” She certainly didn’t believe that to be possible.</p><p>“Well,” Draco started. “Yes. As long as I allow her to do the same. We drew up a contract, laid out all the rules. It’s worked very nicely for us all these years.” Up until this last year, that was.</p><p>“So why not tell me sooner?” Draco’s mother asked him skeptically. “And why come explain it to me now?”</p><p>“I didn’t tell you sooner because I didn’t know how. I felt a loyalty to Astoria, I wanted to keep her secret, and I couldn’t explain that my actions were within bounds without telling you how that could be possible within the confines of our marriage.” Narcissa frowned, keeping her opinions to herself. Draco went on. “And I’m coming to you now because that contract has been violated.” Now it was time for the dark and dirty part, explaining to his mother that he was divorcing his wife. His illegally pregnant wife.</p><p>“Violated how?” Narcissa asked sharply. She wasn’t liking what she was hearing, it was a lot to take in.</p><p>Draco drank deeply of his brandy before answering. “The agreement we have states, among other things, that she can only engage in relations with other witches. Apparently some weeks ago she broke this particular part of the contract. It’s likely that she never would have confessed, except that she’s-” He didn’t know if he wanted to go so far as to telling his mother about her pregnancy. It felt like it wasn’t his information to share. Except, it was. She was his wife, it was very much his business. “She became pregnant. She’s pregnant with this other man’s child, and that’s something I cannot tolerate.”</p><p>Narcissa knew it had to be bad, but she never would have guessed it to be that bad. It didn’t even make sense! “What nonsense! How can she be pregnant if she’s only-”</p><p>Draco cut her off rather than having to hear her finish the question. “Because often these women are married and just looking to have a good time, but this one time the husband insisted on his involvement, and since Astoria had drank half her body-weight in vodka that night she wasn’t in the refusing mood.” He spoke quickly, ripping it off like a bandaid. There. It was the worst of it. Now she knew.</p><p>She stared at him. She wished to Merlin he might be joking, but she didn’t believe he was. “And you’re sure it’s not-” Draco nodded his head, and she frowned deeply, emphasized by wrinkles Draco had never noticed on her before. She was beginning to show her age, which was nearly twice of his now. “You’ll be divorcing her then.” It wasn’t a question, it didn’t need to be. If Draco had been serious enough about the rule to put it on paper, he was serious enough to follow through with the consequence, even if doing so felt like a punishment against himself as well.</p><p>“I will,” Draco agreed sadly. He finished his drink and stood to pour himself another. “I don’t revel in doing so. I’m… heartbroken. But I’ll be fine. I’ll love again.” He knew he would because he already did.  Knowing that he’d have Hermione by his side, even if hidden behind the curtain, was more than enough to get him through what he was sure was going to be a hell of an ordeal.</p>
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<a name="section0038"><h2>38. The Wild Ride</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hermione decidedly offered Draco some space in the wake of the collapse of his marriage. She didn’t want to force him to talk about what she was sure was a very difficult issue. He hadn’t gone into his marriage expecting to have to share the woman he’d loved enough to marry of his own accord, with no outside societal or familial pressure or obligation. She knew, without him having to tell her, that divorcing his wife, however advisable, however resolute, was a most devastating loss. When the time came that he needed to see her, he’d let her know, she was certain.</p><p>And so he did, the following Thursday evening after Hermione had put the kids to bed. The text he sent to her mobile phone almost went unnoticed as she set to cleaning the kitchen. It wasn't until another notification dinged her phone that she noticed the unread message icon. A man of few words lately, it simply read "meet me". No additional words were necessary, she supposed, the location obvious and the time presumed immediate. </p><p>Hermione rushed upstairs to change into something more appropriate. She hadn't been with him in five long days and she had to assume that he'd have pent up energy, not to mention heartache and frustration, to take out on her. She could take it, as surely as she'd taken her own punishment months ago. </p><p>It was only twenty minutes later that she arrived at the flat. It was growing late but she’d sacrifice a few hours of sleep to spend as much time as she could with Draco. In her rush she’d changed into a black and small red polka-dot wrap dress, tied securely on her left hip, and kept it simple with a pair of peep-toe pumps, which were both easy to keep on her feet and easy to remove. She'd have just worn sandals, but she couldn't be sure she wouldn't need the heels for balance later, depending on his intentions. </p><p>"Draco?" She called out down the hall as she hung up her purse by the front door. </p><p>Draco emerged from the door immediately on her right, startling her so that she jumped and covered her heart with one hand. She laughed at herself, before taking in the seriousness of his expression. She'd been right to assume what this night would entail. </p><p>He stood before her shirtless, his black trousers resting low on his hips to show off all the chiseled details of his chest, abs, and groin area that she'd come to appreciate so much. She bit her lip, taking in the sight of him. He remained wordless, staring at her, and as if by some telepathic command, she began to untie her dress, opening it and letting it fall forgotten to the floor. This revealed a set of bright red satin and lace undergarments, which, like the dress, would fall away from her body with a simple tug of the satin bows that held them to her curves. </p><p>Draco eyed her hungrily, like a predator surveying his prey. She was a perceptive witch, enough to know that his need for her, tonight, would be primal. Over the last several days Draco had been in contact with his lawyer, and divorce papers were being drafted. By the week's end, assuming her cooperation, they would have a swift and quiet divorce, at least until the moment the case landed on a ministry desk for the hearing to be scheduled. After that he didn't much expect it to stay quiet. The wizarding community was too small and too nosy for that. There were just a few days of peace left before their personal lives once again became front page news, and this day in particular he planned to finish with a bang. </p><p>He closed the small space between them in a single stride, and with one hand tangling into the hair on the back of the head, the other moving to the small of her back, he pulled her flush against him and into a heated kiss. Their tongues battle, his teeth pulled at her fragile lips, causing them to swell and turn red. She was just what he'd been craving. </p><p>Draco pulled Hermione into the room they'd explored endlessly together in recent months, though frequented less and less as they'd transitioned into a more intimate relationship. Tonight he wanted to remember what it felt like at the beginning, when he wanted nothing less than to ravish her, all while abusing her squirming and weeping body until she begged for mercy. Without separating, Draco closed the door and lifted her up. Her legs wrapped around his middle immediately, and he pressed her back to the door. </p><p>Hermione had been against this door before, a few times, and she could feel her heart pounding with excitement for what was to come. She moaned into his mouth before biting hard on his lip, and grinning mischievously when he pulled his head back to look at her in surprise. He was supposed to be doing the biting, after all. </p><p>Draco licked away the blood that had sprung out from the fragile flesh, his eyes darkening. "You're going to pay for that, Lioness," he warned her, just as she knew he would. He unwound one of her arms from around his shoulder and stretched it out toward the top corner of the door, pressing it firmly against the wood. Immediately the now enchanted bindings that lived upon the door closed around her wrist, securing it in place. He repeated with the other, until she was suspended with just her legs around his waist for support. </p><p>Hermione stared, tauntingly, into his molten eyes. Carefully she lowered one foot to the ground, then the other, until she stood in front of him with her arms out-stretched. "Is that a promise?"</p><p>Without warning Draco spread her thighs so far and so fast that she would have hung by her wrist for lack of balance if not for the bindings that just as quickly captured her ankles instead. She gasped loudly, spread wide for his view, completely at his mercy now. She was glad she’d chosen to wear the heels, or else she’d be properly mounted with no more support than her wrists. Draco pressed himself against her and lowered his mouth to her ear. "You bet your slutty little ass it is," he growled lowly, before moving away from her to select his first torture device. </p><p>She chose not to let the crude words bother her, she was a slut for it in her arse after all, and he was clearly in a dark character for tonight. She didn't mind it. She rather enjoyed nights with the dark version of Mr Malfoy. She watched him, but she couldn't see what it was he was selecting from the wall of  gadgets, ranging from teasing to tormenting. She had no idea what to expect, but if she had to guess, it would be intense, however he used it. </p><p>Feeling her eyes on his bare back, Draco smirked. “Eyes closed, Lioness,” he ordered, expecting cooperation. She was obedient, usually, but he grabbed the blindfold anyway, along with a couple of instruments with which to taunt her.</p><p>Hermione closed her eyes, embracing the suspense he intended to build. She listened intently, and a moment later heard his bare feet stepping across the wooden floor, which creaked slightly when he was near her. She bit her lip, she could feel him standing just in front of her, and before she could even dare to open her eyes again, they were covered with satin. She opened her eyes instinctively, but saw nothing save for a little light peeking up from under the blindfold. She closed her eyes again and waited.</p><p>The feather-light touch across her middle made her jump, and then giggle. It was soft, and tickled, literal feathers gliding around in random figures on her abdomen. She hummed serenely. She hadn’t expected such gentle treatment, and even moreso, she hadn’t expected the sudden crack of leather against skin. She jumped as the other end of the feather teaser, a crop as hard as the feathers were soft collided with her hip. Then after a moment, the soft end fluttered down her leg, teased the inside of her right thigh, and then up the inside of her left. Just as unexpectedly as before, the hard end clapped against her thigh. She chuckled quietly. </p><p>“Does that feel good?” Draco taunted her, smirking though she couldn’t see it. He tucked the crop end of the toy through a loop on her underwear’s bow, the one holding the garment in place over her left him, and tugged on it a bit.</p><p>“Of course,” she agreed with a cocky grin. “But I have to admit, I was expecting more.” A little goading would surely bring out the darkness she was looking for. He was too used to being gentle with her anymore, too used to pleasuring her and not punishing her. She knew he needed to do this. He needed to punish her in place of the wife he couldn’t touch.</p><p>A dark chuckle sounded in front of her, and she heard the feather crop drop to the floor. He pulled slowly on one of the ribbon bows, which unraveled, leaving the lace panties to hang from the opposite hip. He repeated on the other side, and the front half fell forward, held in place only between her backside and the door.</p><p>The sight of her glistening cunt brought his cock twitching to life inside of his trousers, but he left it trapped inside for now. There was time for it later. He had a new object in hand, and ran his thumb over the many needle-like spikes that encircled the blade. Each one poked into the first layers of his skin, but did not penetrate enough to draw blood. He watched her, saw her breath hitch and her chest stop moving as she held it in, feeling his breath on her neck now. “Do you want me to hurt you, my love?” he asked. He slid one hand up her front until he found the ribbon tied to hold her bra together between her breasts. He tugged the tail of it, the bow falling away and the lacy cups releasing breasts far too hearty to be contained by them.</p><p>“Maybe just a little,” Hermione answered with a smile. “Do you want to hurt me, Mr Malfoy?” she inquired, wishing she could see what it was he was playing with in his hand. She could hear it turning, spinning, but for the life of her couldn’t picture what it was.</p><p>“Maybe just a little,” Draco answered her. Before she could open her mouth to reply, Draco began to drag the tool gently over her skin from just above the naval up between her breasts.</p><p>It was cool to the touch, but more importantly, it was sharp, pricking into her skin and springing out again, spike by spike. Hermione’s toes curled. Bravely, she pushed her chest forward, smirking in a way as to rival her captor. "Is that all you've got?" She continued to tease, but as the pinwheel moved on to her sensitive breasts she flinched and bit her lip. The sensation was intense, especially as he wheeled it near her erect nipple.</p><p>"You were saying?" But Hermione said no more, letting out only a strained laugh as the conflicting sense of pain and pleasure collided once more, and traveled to the other tit. All she could do was keep her breath steady and focus on every point as it rolled around her body, piercing only the topmost layers. </p><p>Draco knew she was aroused, he could see her need pooling at her opening, and when he rolled the wartenberg down her body again he could see some of her wetness forced out of her when her needy cunt constricted around nothing. It hung from her opening for a moment before dripping to the floor. </p><p>He kneeled in front of her, teasing her labia with the prickly device, and watched her squirm against her bindings. </p><p>"Please, Mr Malfoy!" Hermione pleaded vaguely. She could feel his hot breath between her legs, and she wanted to feel his mouth on her desperately, or any touch for that matter. Everything he’d done so far had been too gentle. She could help thinking it was the calm before the storm. And just as it occurred to her that she should be worrying what was to come, sharp teeth clamped down on Hermione's unsuspecting clitoris, and Hermione cried out in surprise. </p><p>Just as she was unprepared for the bite, she wasn't anticipating the bindings holding her legs apart to release, and she was suddenly obligated to support her own weight again. She straightened up, nervous now as her underwear became free and fell to the floor at her feet. She waited for what was next, still blinded, with heightened senses, listening intently for any clues. She heard the fall of his zipper, slow as it was dragged open. He was freeing himself, surely a sign that he planned to do something to her. A long moment later her wrists were freed and Hermione, by instinct, dropped onto her knees in servitude, and wiggled her shoulders to drop the open bra down her arms. </p><p>Draco chuckled darkly to himself. "Such a bright witch you are." He closed the space between them and offered his seriously neglected cock, resting the head of it upon her waiting lips. Her tongue reached out and swept up the bead of pre-cum she could have only guessed was there, before opening her mouth and taking him eagerly. He let her work, awed at the greed with such she swallowed his length again and again. With one hand she held onto the back of his thigh for support, with the other she stroked the inches that didn't fit into her mouth with a firm grip. </p><p>"That's enough." She stopped immediately, and whimpered her complaint, reaching one hand up to delicately wipe away the mess of spit that had accumulated around her mouth and down her chin. "No pouting, my Lioness. I have something new for you. Something I believe you'll enjoy."</p><p>Hermione couldn't help but smile. "Oh really?" She wasn't sure in what way he meant that, but she'd take anything at this point. She craved him desperately. </p><p>Draco leaned down and kissed Hermione hard, tangling his fingers into her hair as he did so. He didn't release when he broke the kiss, instead using the fistful of hair to guide her forward on her knees. </p><p>Hermione moved willingly, curious as to where he was taking her. He didn't move her far, however, and she was stopped just as she bumped into something on the floor she couldn't quite place. Whatever it was it was new to her, but Draco didn't release her hair, instead drawing her up and further toward it. She did her best to comply, and when she felt a large, erect shaft on the top of whatever she'd climbed onto, she realized what it must be. "You want me to…"</p><p>"Yes," Draco answered. "I want to see you ride it."</p><p>Hermione bit her lip, settling in her knees as best she could as she aligned the rubbery cock to her weeping entrance. She had to move up and down on it several times before it'd been coated in her juices enough for her to take completely, and when she did, she impaled herself until her bottom rested upon the mounded seat. She shuddered, almost painfully full with the artificial cock. She stayed that way only a moment before beginning to move atop it.</p><p>Before Hermione had started into a steady rhythm, leaning over and holding onto the front of the structure, it sprang to life beneath her, the member thrusting harshly into her in a way she was quite sure it must have been charmed to do. It didn't feel mechanic, it felt organic. She cried out, moaning loudly as she rode it more aggressively. Despite her desire to have Draco inside of her, this was doing the trick rather well indeed. </p><p>Draco watched her pleasure herself for a long moment before returning the used gadgets to the wall, and retrieving something new instead. He ran the thin strips of leather through his fingers several times, testing the weight of the medium sized whip in his hand. "You like that?" He asked her, recognizing the sounds emitting from her as she neared her first climax of the night. </p><p>"Oh Merlin…" Hermione gasped, nails digging into the faux leather covering the animated seat. It'd been running at the same speed, same intensity, for several long minutes, and she didn't know how much more she could take. Draco never maintained the same pace for such a long time. He changed it up. She'd never realized until now how important that was. "I can't! Please!" She had stopped moving on top of it, letting the spelled phallic device drive up into her endlessly. </p><p>Draco could tell that she was overwhelmed, as well she should be, but perhaps some additional stimuli would provide needed change. After all, she had yet to use either of her safe words. She didn't want less, she wanted more, she wanted different, and he was happy to oblige. </p><p>It came without warning, the slap of many leather strips against her backside. Hermione cried out, her cunt clenching violently around the shaft as she came on the spot. He was right, it was what she needed, and she moaned and begged him for more. Over and over again the centimeter wide leather pieces bit into her bare cheeks, and Hermione's body shook, now resting in a pool of her own orgasm. </p><p>"Fuck me," she begged of him, eyes watering from the intensity of the lashing. "Please, fuck me!" </p><p>She had hoped he would release her from the sybian that was mercilessly pounding into her from below, but instead he moved to stand in front of her, and she eagerly took him into her mouth. She swallowed him down coating him in a heavy layer of spit to be used as lubricant in her most treasured area. Draco thrust into her mouth, making it harder for her until she surrendered and simply allowed him.</p><p>When at last he withdrew she wiped the mess from her face as he disappeared, and she sensed him a moment later aligning behind her. She realized immediately what was about to happen, and considered refusing. She wasn't sure she could handle it. But he was pressing into her rear entrance without bothering for permission, which had never been required before, so why would it be now? </p><p>It wasn't as though this was the first time he'd occupied her in more than one way, but on past occasions the secondary phallus had been smaller and more or less stationary, providing a sense of fullness above anything else. The sensation of being taken by, for all intents and purposes, two men, was more intense than she could have prepared herself for. </p><p>She knew without a doubt that this was the punishment he couldn't give to Astoria. She had half a mind to call it off, say it was too much. It was. But at the same time it was a whole new level of sex she hadn't imagined possible, and she was filling the room with such loud cries of pleasure that he had to put his hand over her mouth to keep the neighbors from thinking he was killing her. What was it the French called it? The little death. It was exactly what this was. </p><p>"You like it, don't you?" He asked her, panting heavily as he slammed his cock harshly into her experienced ass.</p><p>"Yes!" Hermione's response was muffled by his hand. Who was she trying to kid? She loved it! She'd always thought so little of any woman who was willing to take on two men at once, to be outnumbered in such a way, used, taken for granted, but now she understood it. It was the perfect balance of pleasure and pain. "It's so good!" She cried into his palm. He put his fingers in her mouth, holding onto her jaw like a handle as he pounded into her. She sucked in the digits as best she could, just to give her something to focus on.</p><p>"Fuck!" Draco cried suddenly, and without warning he pulled away from her, making her gasp and whimper at the sudden abandonment. He pumped his fist over his swollen head a couple of times before taking aim over Hermione's backside, shooting thick, aggressive streams of cum onto the peak of her crack. </p><p>Hermione started when she was suddenly hit by the warm fluid, and a moment later could feel it dripping down between her cheeks. "Turn it off," she demanded in a whimper. "Turn it off!" She'd been on top of the sybian for so long that her knees ached, surely bruised by now. </p><p>It was a moment before he complied, needing to retrieve his wand to do so, but as soon as he did the machine stilled underneath her, and Hermione slumped forward, panting heavily, and slowly rolled herself into the floor, flat on her stomach on the cool wooden floor. </p><p>"Too much?" Draco questioned, returning from whatever dark place he'd suddenly gone to. </p><p>"Just a little," Hermione panted out, turning her head so that her opposite cheek was soothed by the floor this time. </p><p>"I'm sorry-" He started to apologize, but she shook her head. </p><p>"Don't be. You needed that." After a moment she felt a warm cloth cleaning up the mess he'd made of her rear, and soon after he climbed on top of her, planking his body over hers as they both came down from the experience. There was a long moment of silence before Hermione turned carefully around underneath him, wrapping her arms around him. "I'm so sorry she hurt you."</p><p>"I'm not," Draco answered truthfully. "If it wasn't for her I wouldn't have you."</p>
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<a name="section0039"><h2>39. Take One As Needed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After the intensity they'd shared it was hard to leave Draco that evening, but after taking some time for less physical intimacy in the shower, Hermione had to go home, despite how badly she wished to stay with him for the night. She promised him that she would clear her weekend for him, and the next morning while getting ready for the day, she expressed to Ron that she would be spending most of Saturday and Sunday with Draco. She was finished with beating around the bush. She didn't have anything to hide from him anymore. </p><p>She should have known it would start a fight. </p><p>"And what if I say no?" Ron asked irritably, putting the breakfast dishes into the dishwasher. "What if I already have plans?"</p><p>Hermione rolled her eyes. "Big weekend planned for you and Brittany?" Hermione mocked, checking the fridge to ensure that she had what she needed to make dinner later, in case she needed to stop for anything on the way home. </p><p>"Oh come off it," Ron said to her, eying her turned back with disgust she couldn't see. "I haven't been with her in months."</p><p>Hermione rolled her eyes inside the fridge, moving the milk to see what was hiding behind it. "Let me guess, she thought she could be your girlfriend after I saw you two together." Hermione had warned him that would happen. </p><p>"No!" Ron denied quickly, a lie. </p><p>"So you just got bored of it then? Does cheating on me lack the excitement it had when I didn't know about it?" Hermione asked in a cruel, unamused voice. </p><p>"No," Ron answered again, disheartened. This, too, was a lie. </p><p>"Whatever, Ronald. Unless you can think of a good reason why I can't-"</p><p>"It's our anniversary."</p><p>Hermione hit her head in her haste to withdraw from the fridge. She rubbed her crown, closing the door. "Oh…" She looked over at Ron, who was frowning at her. She searched his expression, and guilt washed over her only briefly. "Wait, we weren't married until September." Her look turned suspicious.  </p><p>"Not… that anniversary."</p><p>Hermione turned pink. "Oh." She frowned. "Ronald you can't honestly think-"</p><p>"Not even for old time's sake?" Hermione examined his serious expression, she shook her head. </p><p>"I've been with two men in my life, Ron. You, and him. Do you know what I think about when I see you naked?" Ron smiled for a moment, hoping this was going in a favorable direction. "I wonder how many nights you stuck your dick in one of your slags and came right home and stuck it in me next." Ron's face fell as Hermione scowled at him. "I meant it when I told you you'll never touch me again, I don't care what special occasion it is."</p><p>Ron scowled at her. "Wow. You must really hate me, don't you?"</p><p>Hermione felt as though she'd been slapped. "I- me?" The audacity! How could he accuse her of such a thing? She sighed, defeated. "I don't hate you, Ron. I think you're a wonderful father. You were a great Auror. You're good to everyone you love. Everyone except for me. What am I supposed to take away from that?" </p><p>"You think I don't love you?" </p><p>"I think you forgot somewhere along the way, and then it was too late." The estranged couple stared at each other for a long moment. </p><p>"But he loves you?" Ron broke the silence to dare to challenge her. </p><p>"He's getting a divorce." Ron's blue eyes opened wide. "I might as well tell you, I'm sure it'll be hot gossip soon enough. </p><p>"He's leaving her for you?" Ron could feel panic rising in him. If the Malfoys divorced he was sure their own divorce documents were imminent. </p><p>"He's leaving her for himself." Actually he was kicking her out, but Hermione didn't see how that was any of Ron's business. "But to answer your question, yes, he loves me. And I…" She almost couldn't say it. She almost couldn't look her husband in the eye and tell him that she loved someone else. And then she remembered the sight of him gripping onto the store shelf for dear life while that little slut sucked on his cock, and she was emboldened again. "I love him. I'm in love with him. And I'm sorry if that hurts you, I am."</p><p>Ron's face turned red as she spoke. "So what? You've just moved on? You think I should too? How long can we keep that up? Harry and Ginny know everything now. I got a good lecture about it from Harry at that quidditch game we went to. How long until the whole family finds out?"</p><p>"I don't know," Hermione told him truthfully. "I don't know if I can keep this going. I don't know how much longer I can stand it." There were tears in her eyes suddenly, and she swore under her breath, dabbing them away delicately as to not smear her makeup.</p><p>Silence fell over them both again, before, "Fine." Ron appeared to be battling between indignation and pity. "Go have your stupid romantic weekend with your stupid death eater boyfriend. See if I care."</p><p>Hermione shook her head, moving to the kitchen table to grab her briefcase. "Grow up, Ronald," she suggested in defeat, and made her way to the door. "Rosie! Hugo!" Hermione called with her hand on the knob. "Have a good day with Grammy Molly! I love you!"</p><p>She waited to hear Rose respond in kind, before departing from the home as quickly as she could. </p><p>It was happening just as she'd feared it would. The knowledge that Draco was going to be free and single had her reconsidering the foolish and selfish arrangement she'd established with her own spouse. As it was she already dreaded each night she was forced to come home and share a bed with the wrong man. How many more nights could she keep it up? And how was Draco's divorce going to affect their relationship? </p><p>Draco had mentioned the night before while they showered that he hoped to gain full custody of his son. She knew that would mean less time for her, less time spent in the privacy of their home away from home. Would he stay in the home he'd created with Astoria? Did she want him to? If she ever left Ron, would Draco want her to live in that house? Share the bed he'd shared with her?  Did she have a voice in the matter? </p><p>The thought of her, Draco, and their three children played in her mind as she arrived at work. Playing together, growing together, becoming a larger, blended family. It was a dangerous fantasy. </p><p>It continued to distract her most of the morning, and in the interdepartmental meeting she mistakenly almost took a seat next to the object of her thoughts, rather than her usual position across from him. She corrected her route quickly and hoped that no one would notice. It was hard not to look at him. Her leg bounced, she twittled her quill anxiously, and at one point her assistant placed a hand on her dancing leg under the table, leaning in to whisper and ask if she was alright. Hermione nearly jumped out of her skin at the contact. "I'm fine," she whispered back with an unconvincing smile. </p><p>After the meeting Hermione told Stacy that she wasn't feeling well and needed a bit of fresh air. She headed down to the atrium and from there up to the busy London street. She was beginning to feel panicked again, almost like she had the evening Nott had cornered her on the lift. She walked a ways down the street until she came across a small city park, and took a seat at the bench. It did very little to rid herself of the thoughts of a big happy family, as there were children with their parents enjoying the playground on this oddly sunny summer morning. </p><p>If ever there was a time when Hermione wished she could have picked up a bad habit, like smoking, it was today. In less than a year her entire world had been turned upside down, and in the most contradictory way, it was for both the worse and the better. She'd fallen out of love and into love so hard that it still confused her sometimes. More confusing still she was forced to share a bed and a home with the man she no longer loved, which pained her more and more every day, because the memories of a happy marriage still lingered in that home. They taunt her, chastising her for not giving her husband another chance. </p><p>The fight with Ron that morning replayed in her mind. What were their friends and family going to say when they learned the truth? It wasn't as though they could fake a happy marriage forever. Before long the kids would be old enough to pick up on the tension between them, the lack of affection, and the fact that rarely were both parents home at the same time for more than just a few hours. </p><p>She could hardly breathe. Her lungs felt as though they were collapsing just the way her life seemed to be. It seemed so stupid now, holding onto a loveless marriage just for the sake of her career. Maybe that wasn't really the reason. Maybe she'd convinced herself that was the reason because she was afraid to ever expect Draco to make her his partner. Now that things were changing, she had so much more to consider. </p><p>She closed her eyes, gasping for breath. </p><p>"Ma'am?" A voice called through her hazy, overwhelmed mind. "Ma'am, are you okay?" Her lungs burned, her chest was tight and painful. She clutched it with one hand, gasping desperately for air that seemed to be eluding her. "Somebody call an ambulance!"</p><p>A subtle beeping noise, steady and rhythmic, was the first thing Hermione became aware of. She could see red through her eyelids. She was laying down, but under a bright light. She opened her eyes careful, weary of the startling effect the brightness would have on her orbs. As expected, she was looking up at a bright fluorescent panel light, sitting within a panel ceiling, in a white room. She turned her head to the left and saw a curtain and a door, and nearest her, a heart monitor, which she realized was the source of the beeping. She turned her head in the other direction, and she saw a window, the curtain of which was drawn shut. She scanned the rest of the room, and spotted a head of red hair, slouched forward in a chair. </p><p>Ronald was here. He appeared to be asleep, but he was here. And she was in a muggle hospital. Why? The last thing she remembered was watching the children playing on the playground. "Ron?"</p><p>His head picked up the moment she spoke his name, and he looked at her a little dumbfounded for a moment, before replacing the expression with that of cool indifference. "Hey. You're up." He tried to sound happy or kind, like one was supposed to when his wife was in hospital. But he knew things now he didn't like knowing. </p><p>When he'd first received the call from the hospital he'd been confused. How did they know to call him? But rather than trying to figure out the mysterious and clever ways of the muggle medical system, he simply got someone to cover him at the store and rushed to her aid. She was still his wife, after all, and he'd always be there for her in an emergency like this. </p><p>The doctor explained that she'd had an acute cardiac event, which Ron didn't understand, so she elaborated that Hermione had suffered a severe anxiety attack, strong enough to mimic a heart attack. Well, that he certainly understood. The doctor then went on to explain that she had been sedated in order to rest and recover from the incident, and that she'd wake in a couple of hours.</p><p>So Ron waited, and waited. And while he waited Hermione's phone rang quietly and buzzed, dancing upon the table inside the bag which held her personal effects. Over and over again it rang, until the persistence of it drove him mad. He opened the bag and seized the device, and the name that appeared on the screen as it rang anew within his hand made his blood boil; "Mr M".</p><p>He considered answering it, telling the dirty rotten wife-stealing death eater to stay away from his family once and for all, but before he could work up the nerve the ringing stopped. He held it a minute longer, waiting for it to ring again, but it did not. He set it down on the table and stared at it a while, before curiosity got the better of him, and he grabbed it up once more. It didn't have a lock, not a key entry or a swipe pattern, nothing. Either she had nothing to hide, or she didn't think he cared enough to snoop. Well she'd been right up until now hadn't she? But now that he had it, he couldn't resist wanting to know. </p><p>He went into her photos first, scanning through. No surprises were found. Just pictures of the kids, the cat, family gatherings and the like. It was a relief. At least she wasn't sitting around taking sexy pictures and sending them to her blonde devil lover. He went into her messages next. She didn't have a lot of contacts here. Her parents, himself, Ginny, Harry, and of course, Mr M. It occurred to him then how odd it was that Draco Malfoy was in possession of a mobile phone, and even more yet, that he knew how to use it. </p><p>The message history went on for what felt like miles. Ron didn't take the time to read it all, he didn't want to know, but he scrolled and scrolled, catching different phrases along the way. Like the "I love you"s, and "last night was amazing, it's all I could think about today". It made him sick. But what was more startling than any of that was when, without warning, Ron was greeted by a photo of his wife that she could have never taken herself. She was spread eagle on a bed, her wrists and ankles tethered to its four posts. She was as nude as the day she was born, with a fresh layer of sweat glistening on her skin. And on her chest… Ron made the mistake of zooming in, and nearly dropped the phone in disgust. </p><p>He knew he didn't have a right to be so mad. He'd stepped out in search of excitement, clearly she was finding her excitement elsewhere as well. In the most disturbing way, at that. He thought about her choice to call him "Mr M" in her phone. Did she actually call him that? Mister M? Mister Malfoy? Did she call him this while she let him tie her up and fuck her and cover her so crudely in his release? She'd certainly never let him do anything so crass in their bed. </p><p>He used to feel bad about what he'd done to his family. It used to keep him up at night, knowing that if he'd just loved her more and truly, their family wouldn't be hanging on by a thread, but in the last few months she'd become brazen, rubbing her relationship in his face every chance she got. She just plain didn't want him anymore, and he was beginning to no longer want her either, which would be fine, except for one thing: if he asked for a divorce, she would expose him for the liar and cheater that he was. </p><p>His parents would be ashamed of him, his brother might choose to terminate their partnership, and the rest of the wizarding community would side with their beloved Golden Girl in a heartbeat. He'd never get to tell his side. Who would believe him? She was only retaliating against his initial offense. He couldn't prove she'd been with Draco before she caught him cheating. He had no definitive proof she'd ever cheated at all, only hunches, observations so long ago that any proof of their validity was long, long gone. Hell, he might have even made it up, imagined it all, deflecting his own guilt onto her.</p><p>If he couldn't divorce her, if he couldn't punish her the way every bone in his body ached to do, he could do the next best thing. He could punish Mr M. He was still thinking about ways in which he could do this when he fell asleep, waiting for her to wake. </p><p>Ron looked up at Hermione lying there in the hospital bed, looking weak and tired and confused. An anxiety attack, the doctor said. She was stressed. The burden of keeping up this double life was becoming too much for her. He cleared his throat.  "How're you feeling?" He asked.</p><p>"Dandy." Hermione tried to sit up but it felt impossible. She reached instead for the button that would raise the head of her bed, and rose into a slightly inclined position to look at him. "What happened?"</p><p>Ron frowned. "Why don't I get the doctor, to explain. I don't really get all the technical stuff." He stood, glad for an excuse to leave her side, and exited the room. He returned a couple minutes later, a nurse following after him. The nurse checked Hermione's vitals, and assured her that the doctor would be in to talk to them shortly, and then she would most likely be released to go home. </p><p>The wait was silent, neither of them having much of anything to say to each other, stretching on uncomfortably before finally the doctor appeared. She smiled brightly at the couple and grabbed Hermione's chart to read the latest update from the nurse. </p><p>"Hermione, it's nice to meet you. I'm doctor Greene. How are we feeling?" She asked kindly, her voice gentle and sweet. </p><p>Hermione thought that the doctor's bedside manner was much better than that of her own spouse. "Okay I guess. Tired. I don't understand what happened."</p><p>Dr. Green explained everything to Hermione as she'd done to her husband, only with more success and understanding. She then asked if Hermione was experiencing unusual amounts of stress. </p><p>"Well no, everything's fine. Things are quite well at work, the kids are great. Everyone's happy." She left out the part about the crumbling marriage and the intense love affair that had her questioning the entire path of her life. She and Ron caught each other's eyes, which didn't go unnoticed by the doctor. </p><p>"Perhaps you'd like to talk in private?" Hermione laughed nervously.</p><p>"I appreciate that, but my husband doesn't abuse me, I promise." </p><p>Ron's eyes went wide. "What? Of course not!" He looked back and forth between his wife and Dr. Greene. </p><p>Hermione bit back another laugh. "No, you just shag other women," she couldn't resist saying. The secret of her failed marriage was one of her greatest burdens, and it felt shamelessly good to say it out loud, especially seeing the look on his face when she said it. </p><p>"Oh you're one to talk! Weren't you just this morning telling me how you planned to spend the weekend with your boyfriend instead of home with your children?" </p><p>Doctor Greene's eyes went wide at the same moment that Hermione's narrowed. "Don't," Hermione said in a low, warning tone. "You know damn well that I prioritize my time with my children. I don't see him until the kids are in bed. You, on the other hand, have missed most of Hugo's first two years working late," she used air quotes to emphasize her sarcasm. "With that slut you hired, and Lord knows who else!"</p><p>Hermione's heart rate monitor began to beep with increased rhythm. This went unnoticed by the couple, but not the practitioner. "Well!" She spoke as Ron opened his mouth to retort. "I think we've found the source of your anxiety."</p><p>Hermione was prescribed an anxiety medication to keep on her person and take as needed, a fast-acting but relatively mild sedative for future episodes. She was released about an hour later, and, exhausted, rode home with Ron in the most awkward cab ride of their marriage to date. </p><p>"I told you you hate me," Ron finally spoke as they walked into the house that no longer felt like home as it used to. </p><p>"Oh piss off, Ronald!" Hermione exclaimed and sighed. She had checked her phone in the car, saw all of the missed calls and texts asking if she was alright. She'd texted him to say she was okay and that she would explain later. </p><p>"None of this would be happening if you'd just let us fix this marriage instead of running off to shag another man every other night," Ron replied angrily anyway. </p><p>Hermione didn't feel like pointing out what an exaggeration that was. "No, none of this would be happening if you would just support me in my success like a husband is supposed to. How is it that someone who spent his entire childhood hoping to see me fail can now do that, and you, my husband, the supposed love of my life, cannot?" Hermione dropped onto the sofa unceremoniously. </p><p>"This again? Is that the grudge you've been holding onto? That I didn't come to that stupid party with you?" Ron's voice traveled with him to the kitchen where he retrieved a beer. </p><p>"Stupid party," Hermione repeated, baffled. "The stupid party in honor of your stupid wife and her stupid career." She turned and looked over the back of the couch toward him. "Are my accomplishments really so stupid to you?"</p><p>"No," Ron answered in a haughty tone, sipping his beer. "Just your need to put them above more important things, like our family, and our relationship."</p><p>"Says the man who cheated because my pregnancy hormones made me mean to him," she mocked, tears in her eyes. "Do you have any idea how humiliated I was? That my own husband wasn't there? That I had to make up lies about my children's health in order to justify your absence?"</p><p>Ron's face turned red. "Well the joke's on you, I sent the kids to my parents and went out and got laid!" He shouted viciously, and grinned victoriously at the expression of shock and indignation on her face.</p><p>"No Ron!" Hermione let out a short, ironic laugh. "The joke's on you, because while you were fucking… whoever,  Draco had me bent over my desk and I'd never been fucked so good in my life." The victory fell from Ron's face at the news, and the visual that it implanted. She carried on, now the victor. "And I was foolish enough to let the guilt eat me alive until-" </p><p>"Enough!" He couldn't hear another word. "Go start your weekend with your disgusting boyfriend. You deserve each other, and I don't want to see your face."</p><p>Hermione let out a bitter laugh as she rose from the couch. "The feeling is mutual, Ronald." She headed upstairs to pack a bag, and before she'd made it to the top she found tears streaming down her face. What had been said could never be taken back. The damage, once again, was irreparable. </p><p>Ron watched, glowering, as she made her way up to their bedroom. His mind was a storm of anger, betrayal, humiliation, and plots of revenge.</p>
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<a name="section0040"><h2>40. Dividing of the Assets</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She let Ron kick her out that night. She deserved it after what she'd revealed to him. She arrived at the condo with her bag packed for the weekend, though she was unsure she'd be welcomed back come Sunday night. She'd messed it up this time, she knew. She'd been so careful, until now, to hide any of her infidelity prior to February's incident. Now he knew the truth, or at least one night's worth. She'd used it to hurt him, and now she couldn't hide behind his indiscretion any longer. The fact that he'd believed her faithful until that fateful night had been a shield for so long, she felt naked and vulnerable without it. </p><p>She'd been in the flat barely five minutes before Draco arrived, startling her with his urgency. </p><p>"I'm alright, I'm alright," Hermione insisted, though it couldn't be furthest from the truth. "It was just a bit of anxiety, paired with an empty stomach and low blood sugar." She smiled sympathetically at her lover's concerned expression. </p><p>"Your assistant was in a panic." Draco pointed out to her. "Said you'd gone out for a bit of fresh air and never came back."</p><p>Hermione frowned, having not considered that. "And how do you know that?" She wondered. </p><p>"She was asking everyone on your floor if they'd seen you. News made it around the ministry by the time you'd been gone two hours."</p><p>"I did just go for a bit of fresh air," she admitted. "I just… had a bit of a spell. A muggle saw me and called an ambulance, that's an emergency medical transport vehicle, and the next thing I knew I was in hospital and Ron was there and it was a whole thing…" She frowned. "You're not supposed to be here," she hoped to change the subject. </p><p>Draco raised one eyebrow. "I'm not supposed to be here?" He repeated back to her in question. "In my own flat?" He took a step toward her, and she held a hand up against his chest, stopping his advance. </p><p>"You're supposed to be at home, with your son. We've talked about this. You're supposed to be getting into the habit of being his sole caregiver, remember?" </p><p>Draco sighed. "But you're here," he told her. "And your texts, while reassuring, were not remotely informative enough for my taste." He took hold of her waist, ignoring her half-hearted effort to push him away from her. </p><p>"It was just an anxiety attack, I told you." She rested her hands on his chest, looking up at him longingly. "I got stuck in my head. My thoughts got away from me."</p><p>"And what thoughts were these? What were you thinking about so long and so hard that your body would forget how to breathe?" He knew panic attacks, he'd suffered several in his sixth year. </p><p>"What a stupid question," Hermione said with a disappointed sigh. Her hands fell away from his chest, and he released her waist as well. </p><p>Draco looked down at his lover. He just now realized she bore signs that she'd been crying. She probably still hadn’t eaten. Her eyes were heavy, tired. "Yes, I suppose it is." He cupped her cheek gently in one hand and kissed her forehead. "You still haven't told me what you're doing here."</p><p>Hermione had hoped to avoid that topic, but she realized she would have to fill him in eventually. "Ron and I got into a bit of a row, and things were said…" She walked as she spoke and sat down on the couch, turning her body to face him while he joined her. "And I may have told him… about the night of the party, on my desk." She tried to look regretful, but a smile began to play on her lips at the memory. </p><p>"You told him we shagged on your desk?" He was both horrified and highly amused. </p><p>"Actually I told him you bent me over my desk and that I'd never been fucked so good…" This time she did grin. </p><p>Draco stared at her. "And you're here now because…?"</p><p>"Yeah, he kicked me out." She shrugged. "I already planned on staying here tomorrow night, so I just packed a bit more than I'd originally planned."</p><p>"What do you mean he kicked you out?" Anger flared at the idea. Where did he get off kicking the mother of his children out of his time? Then again, he'd done the same to Astoria, she'd just been too stubborn to leave at first. But at least Astoria hadn't just been discharged from a hospital minutes before. </p><p>Hermione gave Draco a "you're overreacting" look. "I was really mean to him. Not just after the hospital, but this morning, too. It's really no wonder he doesn't want to look at my face right now. I don't even want to look at my face right now."</p><p>Draco sighed, and realized that she was allowed to feel that way. He knew what it felt like to be mean to the person he was sworn to love until death. It wasn't a good feeling, not after the fact, even if it felt good in the moment. He decided a change of subject was due. "You must be starving." She'd probably missed dinner and lunch. </p><p>"Actually, my stomach is kinda a mess at the moment. I was really just planning on vegging out in front of the telly until I fall asleep." He gave her a sympathetic look and she sighed in frustration. "Really, Draco. Go home. Be with Scorpius. I'll see you tomorrow, as planned."</p><p>Draco opened his mouth to argue, but thought better of it. "Fine," he caved. "But if you get hungry promise me you'll order something. You're going to need energy this weekend." He smirked wickedly, pushing up off the couch. </p><p>Hermione grinned. "Do you have terrible things planned for me?" She asked hopefully, leaning up and wrapping her arms around his neck before he could escape completely. </p><p>"I have wonderful plans to make love to the most beautiful witch I've ever known," he told her, staring down into her honey eyes. </p><p>"I'll fight her," Hermione replied with a smirk. </p><p>Draco laughed hard at that and kissed her. "I don't know, she's kind of a badass." He smirked. </p><p>Hermione laughed and released him. "Good luck tomorrow. Don't be too mean. But don't be too nice, either," she added quickly, and sighed, biting her lip. </p><p>Draco knew exactly what she meant. He'd be meeting with Astoria and their lawyers (she'd now hired one of her own) in the morning to discuss the termination of their marriage. This would be the part where she'd try to milk him for everything he had, despite being the guilty party. "I'll be fair," he promised her in compromise, kissed her once more, and left. </p><p> </p><p>Sitting across from Astoria, with her shark, Draco felt a strong need to stand his ground. He didn’t want to give her anything. He wanted to punish her, make her suffer as he’d been forced to suffer. He wanted to, but he knew he wouldn’t, he couldn’t.  </p><p>“I want the house,” Astoria voiced when prompted. Draco rolled his eyes.</p><p>“I’d sooner sell this house than hand it to you.” The two glared at each other for a long moment. “I can put you in a flat” It was one thing to make sure her needs were met, it was another to hand her a mansion and still have to buy a new one for himself. </p><p>“A flat?” Astoria scoffed. “That might be suitable for you and your little slut girlfriend to shack up in on the weekends, but for me and two children-”</p><p>“You do not get to talk about her that way when you’ve shagged your way through every queer and straight witch in Europe, and apparently their husbands as well.” She opened her mouth to deny it but he continued. “And you won’t be raising two children. I’m going to have to insist on full custody of Scorpius.”</p><p>Her jaw dropped. “You’re taking my son?” she asked, appalled. </p><p>“Let’s be realistic here, Sto. You travel too much. You love to go out, and party, and shop, and explore beds across the continent. You take weekend trips with your girlfriends. And you do all of that knowing that I’m at home with Scorpius. How do you plan to do all of that as a single mother of two?” He stared at her as she stammered, turned to her lawyer for help, and back to Draco.</p><p>“I suppose I could… settle down. I’ll have to get used to it through this pregnancy anyway.” She’d made the same promise when she had Scorpius, but maybe he would believe her this time as he had then.</p><p>Draco sighed and shook his head. “I’ve heard that before haven’t I?” He leaned back in his chair, examining her closely as she thought hard about what “settling down” would actually entail. “We can arrange visitation, share holidays as a family, but he will live, primarily, under my roof.”</p><p>Astoria’s lawyer, a thin, clean cut witch with short hair and a tailored suit, tapped her arm, leaning in to speak with her quietly. Draco waited patiently to see what her lawyer had to say about this. They went back and forth for an unexpectedly long time, before finally the woman spoke on Astoria’s behalf.</p><p>“My client wants two nights a week and every other weekend.”</p><p>Draco resisted a chuckle, looking to his lawyer, who nodded as if to say “sounds fair to me”. Draco looked Astoria in the eyes. “If that’s what you want, I’m going to hold you to it. Don’t come to me asking to reschedule your weekends because something more interesting came up. I have a life and a schedule too.”</p><p>Astoria rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. “I wouldn’t do that…” She looked away, unable to keep eye contact while he pointed out such an obvious fault in her personality. </p><p>Draco knew that was a load of bull, but didn’t bother to call her out on it a second time. “Monday and Wednesday evenings would be best for you to have him during the week. I’ll pick him up before bedtime. My mother will come to watch him during the day while I work. She’s rather excited to make up for lost time.”</p><p>“Your mother hasn’t seen him in two years,” Astoria chipped in a snarky tone. Draco flared with anger.</p><p>“And who’s fault is that?” He barked at her. “You and your stupid double-life, forcing me to keep secrets. Forcing me to lie to my own mother and let her think her son an adulterer.”</p><p>“I didn’t force you to-” </p><p>“I LOVED YOU!” Draco shouted venomously. “I would have done anything for you and you fucking know it!” His face was red, his nostrils flared, and she shied under his gaze. </p><p>“I know…” she whispered. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-”</p><p>“But you didn’t mind letting it happen, did you? Couldn’t be bothered to set the record straight in order to protect my relationship with my mum? No, you just wanted to protect your secrets, no matter how much more I had to lose to make it happen.” Merlin did it feel good to let all of this out. </p><p>“Alright, I get it, okay? I’m an awful person!” Tears sprang into her eyes, and Draco groaned audibly.</p><p>“And here we go with the crocodile tears…” He folded his arms over his own chest while she retrieved a handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes. Draco watched and waited. </p><p>“It’s not… It’s the bloody hormones,” she grumbled, as if she, too, was disturbed by how easily the tears came.</p><p>Draco’s expression softened, barely. Right, she was pregnant. That was the whole reason they were getting a divorce. Here he was screaming at a pregnant woman. Not a very classy look. He sighed. Sometimes he was so mad at her for getting pregnant that he failed to realize that she was actively producing life, and that, regardless of the circumstances that brought that about, it was a precious thing, to be protected.</p><p>There was a long silence while Astoria composed herself, and Draco’s lawyer cleared his throat. “So, in summary, so far the following terms have been suggested; Mr Malfoy will retain the house and all of his possessions there within. Mr Malfoy will provide housing for Mrs Malfoy for the next twenty-five years or until she remarries. Mr Malfoy has also agreed to provide a monthly living stipend of one thousand galleons-”</p><p>“One thousand?” Astoria shrieked, appalled. “I could spend one thousand galleons in a day!” </p><p>“I know. I’ve seen you spend a thousand galleons on one dress,” Draco told her, smirking slightly. “But the average family can live rather comfortably on one thousand-”</p><p>“Mr Malfoy, your wife has become accustomed to a certain quality of living, which is your obligation to maintain,” her lawyer stepped in immediately, as Draco knew she would.</p><p>“Ten thousand,” Astoria demanded stubbornly. </p><p>“Two thousand,” Draco low-balled again coolly. </p><p>“Ten!”</p><p>“One and a half,” Draco smirked as Astoria’s face grew red.</p><p>“Seven-five.”</p><p>“Two-five.”</p><p>Astoria growled, glaring. “Seven.”</p><p>“Two-five.” </p><p>She huffed, and pouted. “Five?”</p><p>Draco paused, pretending to consider that for an agonizingly long moment. “Alright,” Draco said after a minute. “Five.” He’d always intended to give her five, but he wanted her to see it as a victory so that she wouldn’t come to him for more.</p><p>Astoria was humbled by the negotiation, and regarded the rest of the mediation with far less entitlement, for her anyway. She agreed to the custody terms, realizing that they were in her favor. The splitting of other assets went rather smoothly, as planned in their pre-merital agreement. She put up a bit of a fight when it came to the living arrangements, but they eventually agreed that a three bedroom house was reasonable in consideration of the children, and set a strict budget. It was when she asked for the house elf that Draco laughed blatantly in her face. </p><p>"Why should I give you the elf?" He asked, amused. </p><p>"Because, she… I need her!" Astoria said as though this should have been obvious. </p><p>"You can acquire a new elf," Draco attempted to reason, unmoved. </p><p>"But she's mine!” she protested still. </p><p>Draco laughed. “How do you figure that?” Had he actually found her diva attitude attractive at one point?</p><p>“I bought her,” Astoria reasoned lamely. </p><p>“With my money,” Draco retorted. “For the big house I bought. Which you’ll no longer live in, and therefore no longer need an elf to maintain.” Astoria was quiet for a moment, and Draco sighed. “I’ll tell you what. If you need an elf so bad, I can give you an advance on your stipend, and you can buy one yourself.”</p><p>Astoria scoffed, but thought it over for a moment. “How big of an advance?”</p><p>Draco considered that, leaned over to talk to his lawyer for a moment, and then sat up again, regarding her silently for a moment, just to draw it out. “I’ll give you one year, upfront. Sixty grand. Spend it on an elf, furniture for your new place, whatever you want, I don’t care.”</p><p>He watched the gears turn in her head, trying to determine if it was worth it. Finally, she sighed with a false air of indifference. “Fine, I’ll take the advance.”</p><p>Everything from then on was rather simple. From that point there was a lot of crossing of “T”s and dotting of “I”s, before the parties shook hands. “Well, since we were able to come to a mutual agreement, it looks as though you won’t have to go to court. The Ministry will still have to make their verdict, but I think it’s safe to say that by week’s end you two will be officially divorced.” Draco let out a deep sigh of relief as they all stood, and he shook the lawyer’s hand, followed by Astoria’s attorney. They left the couple, who’s relationship had entered into limbo, alone in their dining room.</p><p>They looked at each other, stared as they were swallowed up by the silence. When it was more than either of them could bear any longer, Astoria let out a dramatic sigh. “Well, I guess I’ll go finish my packing.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Alright, I know that I've been really off the ball with my updates lately, but I'm working on it, I really am. Things are CRAZY for me at the moment! Not only am I working 2 full-time jobs, but I also run a small business. I'm finding less and less time for writing as my business grows, which sucks but is also kind of awesome, because tomorrow morning I'm taking my full inventory of hand-made one of a kind jewelry to be sold in a retail store which specializes in selling artists' goods! That was a really long sentence. This is going to be HUGE for my business!</p><p>That said, I'm officially moving to a bi-weekly posting schedule. I will be updating every OTHER Friday. If I happen to get a chapter ready early, I'll post it early, because I can, but I have to loosen the belt a little for sanity's sake. </p><p>Thank all of you for bearing with me through my chaos! I love you so much! New work will also be released soon, so keep an eye out for that.</p>
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<a name="section0041"><h2>41. Pillow Talk</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Once Astoria had packed enough clothes to get her through another week at the resort she was staying at (because clearly this divorce was cause for a vacation), she left with Scorpius, and Draco was free to join Hermione at their flat as planned. When Draco arrived, he was pleasantly surprised to find her in the kitchen pouring two glasses of champagne, dressed only in a outfit of lingerie so strappy and revealing that it served its purpose immediately. Draco stopped in his tracks, taking a moment to admire and memorize the sight before him. She had on a black and green cutout teddy with matching thigh-high stockings, and a high pair of black patent leather pumps</p><p>"Holy shit," Draco commented. She grinned and started towards him with both glasses of champagne in hand. He held up a hand to stop her. "Turn around," he ordered, to which she grinned and complied, stopping and turning in small careful steps to show off the back side of the ensemble, except there wasn't a backside to speak of, just several black straps of elastic holding it all in place.</p><p>"I finally got rid of those last couple of pounds from before the kids were born," Hermione explained. "Thought I'd reward myself with something special." She turned back to face him. </p><p>"I'll say," was all Draco could think to say. He didn't know why he was so flustered by the sight. Perhaps because she was wearing Slytherin green. He'd always wanted to see her in Slytherin green. </p><p>"And this," Hermione went on, closing the space between them and handing him one glass. "Is for one ending, and one new beginning."</p><p>Draco put his free hand around Hermione's waist, looking down at her. "How are you so perfect?" He asked her, and when she opened her mouth to protest he interrupted with a kiss. She smiled and kissed him back. </p><p>"Happy divorce day, Mister Malfoy." He'd already filled her in on how the mediation had gone, and she was pleased that Astoria hadn't made too big of a fuss about it. As a mother she thought Astoria should have put up a bigger fight for custody, but given the circumstances things had played out exactly as they should have. </p><p>"I love you, Hermione," Draco replied, and kissed her again. They each took a drink, before Draco removed his wand from his pocket and levitated the two glasses back to the kitchen counter. He stowed his wand away again and, with his hands now free, lifted her swiftly with one hand grasping each cheek as she wrapped her legs around him. Their lips crashed together like magnets. </p><p>Hermione was already working apart his buttons as he carried her into the bedroom, and by the time he sat himself on the edge of the bed she had his shirt open and began kissing his chest. She settled briefly on her knees on top of him, and her mouth found his again as she pressed her chest against his bare one. </p><p>He placed his hands on her waist, intent to hold her there, but she slipped out of his hold, moving one leg back and then the other until she slid onto her knees on the floor before him. Draco looked down at her in awe. Clearly she was in the mood for celebrating, and he made no move to interrupt her while she freed him from his pants. He was hard by the time she wrapped her hand around the swell of him and pulled him loose of his boxers. </p><p>The way she looked up at him then, her bright eyes framed in a thin outline of black, her lashes curled and lengthened by mascara, biting her red painted lip and making it swell, made his mouth go dry. He twitched within her grasp. </p><p>Hermione couldn't remember the last time she'd felt this frisky, this need to give pleasure instead of just receiving it. She always loved to do whatever he asked of her but this time she didn't want him to ask, she wanted to supply him with all the pleasure and release he needed and more. </p><p>She placed her hand flat against the top side of his shaft and her tongue at the base, flattening it before running the wet muscle up the full length slowly until she reached the top. She teased the head with the tip of her tongue for a moment before dipping down again and sucking Draco's smooth shaven bullock into her mouth, teasing the ball with her tongue before switching to the other. After a moment she let it pop free, and repeated the first step, licking her way up to the top where she sucked eagerly now on the head. She took more and more length with each downward motion until she could feel the stubble on his groin against her nose. </p><p>She looked up at him again and found his eyes were locked on hers and she smirked around the cock in her mouth, before carefully forcing herself to swallow. The muscles in her throat rolled and moved like a snake, making Draco's eyes go wide at the intense sensation. </p><p>He'd never felt anything quite like that. He'd known girls to try to swallow around him before, it was a common trick of the trade that very few women, from what he could tell, were actually any good at. Hermione had done it so slowly and with such control that he could feel the muscles dancing all the way down the length in her custody. "H- how did you do that?" He asked, his voice higher than usual. </p><p>Hermione was forced to release him in order to answer, letting his solid inches slip out of her wide open mouth and spring back toward him, wishing wet with several long strings of saliva connecting it to her lips. She licked them away. "Practice, of course." She'd been alone in the flat for the first time the previous night, and while most of the… supplies Draco kept around were behind locked doors or within locked drawers, there was still one drawer in the bedside table that she was permitted access to. </p><p>Draco grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled her into a kiss. She grinned against his lips and crawled into his lap once more, where he flipped her onto her back. "Let me return the favor," he spoke into her ear, before moving quickly down her body and pulling at the decorative thong, tucking it away against her thigh. </p><p>"I was hoping you would say th-ohh!" His tongue was inside of her already, and her toes curled with excitement. She spread her legs wide for him, and Draco held her thighs to keep her that way while he worked. He flicked his tongue across her clit in small, fast motions for a few seconds, but not long enough for the intensity to wear off and for her to become comfortable. Instead he moved his tongue inside of her, prodding deep within the soaked, sticky cavern and swirling it around inside of her with no apparent pattern. </p><p>Hermione never truly appreciated what a man was capable of until she started this affair with Draco, and now she wondered how she'd ever been satisfied without it. She settled against the pillow, closing her eyes and letting Draco work his wandless magic. "Oh God, Draco, that's so good," she informed him when he began to suck on her pleasure nub at the same time as prodding two strong fingers deep within her. The fingers worked harder, faster, and her thighs began to quake and shiver with the impending climax. She could hear the wet slapping of his palm against her as he upped the intensity with intention, and didn’t notice at all as he stepped and kicked his way out of his pants at the same time. </p><p>There was something simply thrilling about the way she moaned and cried out, the way her muscles clamped down on his fingers, attempting to push him away, even the way her wetness splashed out into his palm, making a playful squishing noise. </p><p>Hermione reached a hand down, pushing his away with a laugh. “Fuck, stop that!” she said with an exhausted laugh, before falling still beneath him. She looked down the length of her body at him as he grinned up at her, and he swiftly stretched out over her, kissing her hard. He pulled the sleeves of his shirt down his arms and carelessly tossed it aside. </p><p>Their mouths battled and danced with one another for a long time, and soon without warning he was inside of her, rocking into her in deep thrusts that shook her body underneath him. She moaned into his mouth as the engorged head crashed into her barrier, reminding her once again that her canal was no match for his length. She wrapped one leg around his back, locking their bodies together. She grinned up at him, and him down at her, and her mouth fell open as his pace quickened, turning her deep moans into short, panting breaths.</p><p>It took no time at all for her legs to begin to shake, her toes curl, her walls clamp. She saw stars behind her eyelids as he pounded her into the mattress. Despite her quick release she knew he had a long way to go yet, and she had much more pleasure to look forward to. Her eyes closed while he leaned forward, taking the skin of her neck between his teeth. She yelled out in surprise, and chuckled deeply in approval as he sucked on the assaulted flesh. </p><p>It was only too easy to move her petite body into her side, where he fit himself behind her and raised her leg. He plunged into her again and bucked, quickly returning to his previous pace. She leaned into him, and stretched her neck out, exposing it to him for further abuse. He took the cue immediately, lavishing the smooth skin with kisses and playful nips, before sucking the fragile skin into his mouth.</p><p>Hermione touched herself, one hand going between her legs, rubbing her most sensitive nerves while the other found her breast, massaging it, pulling and pinching the nipple. The mixed sensations all across her body sent her spiraling much faster this time. Her breath became quick, her moans groaning louder. Spurred on by this, Draco moved faster, slamming into her with as much force as he could manage. </p><p>“Oh God, Draco!” she cried out, the thigh he held in the air quaking within his grasp. </p><p>“Cum for me, Love,” Draco responded with a knowing smirk, grunting slightly between thrusts for the effort it cost him, effort that was without question worthwhile. Her voice caught in her throat, her breath as well, and he knew she was at the peak. Rather than letting it conclude he lowered her leg, turning her onto her stomach and moving on top of her so that their bodies never disconnected. He held her in place, flat against the bed, and straddled her waist, thrusting roughly. </p><p>Hermione hadn’t expected the new position, and her laugh of approval was interrupted with a low groan as she realized that her orgasm was not through with her. It carried on, shocking her with every new collision of cock to womb. His weight shifted over her, and a moment later she felt a slick wet finger probing her, sinking deeper and deeper into her ass, which throbbed and contracted with excitement.</p><p>The way he had her pinned between the bed and his body applied just the right amount of pressure to her lower abdomen to contribute to the unrelenting orgasm. It was becoming more than she could take. She never thought it was possible to need release from her release. "Draco, oh God! I can't!" She panted out. "I can't!"</p><p>Draco smirked, and added a second finger to her tight hole. He was almost there, and he knew she could handle another minute for him to join her in ecstasy. He flexed his fingers within her, and he could feel them as his length moved in and out of her at rapid speed. "Almost," he groaned.</p><p>"Oh, yes, please, Draco!" Hermione whimpered. "Cum in me!"</p><p>Draco was surprised by that request, they were always very careful to avoid another scare like the one they'd had months ago. "Really?" he asked, amused, as he pushed himself further, embracing that almost painful coiling in his groin. </p><p>"Fill me!" It'd been a long time since she'd had her pussy filled with Draco's fresh load, not since the scare, and she craved it. She loved the feeling, which was how she'd gotten pregnant each time. </p><p>For the first time since their affair began, Draco was free to fulfill this request. He removed his fingers from within her and used both hands to spread her cheeks wide, her legs still pointed together tightly as he corked thrusting harshly into her. He grunted and groaned, watching in delight as each new thrust forced out thick drops of creamy seed. Finally he stopped moving, letting the aftershocks quivver through him from the tips of his toes to the opening of her pussy. He spilled his final drops with a content sigh. </p><p>The room was quiet save for their attempts to return their breathing to a normal rhythm. With great reluctance Draco withdrew and turned over, falling flat onto his back next to his lover. She, in kind, turned over onto her back, careful not to disturb the load living inside of her. </p><p>Hermione tested herself against Draco, her head on his shoulder, smirking playfully at him. </p><p>Draco felt good, really good, for the first time in a long time. He felt like a free man, a new man. He was one step closer to legitimizing his relationship with Hermione. He was aware that it might also be as close as he'd ever get, but it was better than nothing. He turned his head to look at her, and returned her smug grin. "What?" he asked, unsure exactly why she was looking at him like that.</p><p>Hermione's expression softened. "I love you," she told him, as though it was a new realization. </p><p>Draco chuckled with a hint of confusion. "Well I bloody hope so." If it weren't for her, he might not have had the resolve to end his marriage. He may very well be preparing to raise another man's child with her, and he would have hated himself for it. </p><p>Hermione laughed softly. "I just mean… it's a little crazy, right? When you think about everything that's happened." She'd been thinking about it a lot. How it'd started,  m the evolution that'd taken place. </p><p>"Yeah," Draco agreed thoughtfully. "I never would have guessed you'd be such a slut for some good cock."</p><p>Hermione's eyes widened in shock at his choice of words, but she grinned despite herself, knowing he was right. "I'm just a slut for your cock," she argued, laughing at the word choice still. "And I still blame you, by the way. If you hadn't followed me into my office that night-"</p><p>"You wouldn't have gotten to experience your sexual awakening," Draco answered for her knowingly. </p><p>Hermione smiled, which faded, into a softer, more pensive look. "I wouldn't have realized that I was stuck in a loveless marriage." She sighed. "I just always assumed we'd be together forever. Now I can't figure out why I ever thought that."</p><p>"Duty," Draco answered the implied question. "Duty to your life as everyone expected it to be. Duty to love up to those expectations without considering if it was what you actually wanted." He couldn't claim to have known much about her life in the last decade, just what he'd heard in the media, or around the Ministry, but he was confident he had to be at least partially right. </p><p>Hermione bit her lip, considering that harsh reality. "There's got to be a better way to do it," she decided after a moment. "To achieve what I want to achieve without torturing myself with this double-life."</p><p>Draco looked at Hermione with a growing smirk. "You just can't help yourself from saving the world, can you?"</p><p>Hermione didn't answer that question, she didn't think it was necessary to do so. "I just don't know how much longer I can do it," she told him, resting her head on his chest and looking out into the room thoughtfully. "It's exhausting."</p><p>"I know, baby. I know." He wrapped his arm around her and took her hand, locking his fingers with hers. Her eyes fell shut and for a long while they simply soaked in each other's presence. </p><p>It soon occurred to Draco that Hermione had apparently fallen asleep, despite the fact that it was the middle of the day. He wondered if she'd gotten any sleep the night before. She'd seemed full of energy when he arrived, but that could have simply been that she was happy to see him. </p><p>"One day, my love," Draco spoke softly to her sleeping figure. "One day, you and I will have our very own home in Knightsbridge. Our children will be together. Maybe we'll have another of our own. We'll be a family, and you'll be Minister, just like you always dreamed, and we won't have anything to hide." It was a sentiment he thought about often.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I know this chapter is mad late, but here me out, chapter 42 is going online TONIGHT! DO NOT MISS IT!</p>
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<a name="section0042"><h2>42. Nott This Again</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>STOP! Did you read chapter 41? It was posted just hours ago! Don't miss it!</p><p>Okay now you've read it? You may proceed.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A blissful weekend alone with his lover was exactly what Draco needed to recover from the emotional rollercoaster that was his home life. He must have made love to her a dozen times in as many different parts of their home, and filled her womb recklessly as many times as she asked. Thank Merlin for contraception charms, which were almost guaranteed effective when performed properly. Given that he'd performed the spell literally hundreds of times, he was confident in its efficiency. Still, in the back of his mind, the risk seemed worth taking at this point. </p><p>Hermione didn't know what to do. She had considered several times in their two days together telling Draco that she wanted to end her marriage as he had, but each tie she'd chickened out. If she said it to him, it would have to be a promise. Anything less would just be cruel. She tried not to let it burden her, and instead focused on making the most of their time together. When they weren't in the throws of passion, they cooked together, watched movies, and took pictures together to commemorate the occasion, even if they were for their eyes only. </p><p>When Monday rolled around, Hermione returned home early in the morning. She hadn't spoken to Ron, and was unsure if she would be welcome to return home again that evening after work. She couldn't blame him. He was right to be upset. She'd let him believe that she had never been with Draco before she caught him with Brittany. Now that he knew that wasn't true she'd lost her upper-hand. In fact, her lies cost her dearly because she'd used his infidelity against him so much. She would surely pay for it now. She deserved to. </p><p>She opened the master bedroom door slowly. For a moment she had the awful thought that she'd open it to find he wasn't alone in their bed. Her imagination ran away from her door a moment, picturing who she might be, and the altercation that would follow. But when the door was fully opened, and the bed clearly in view, and found it had no occupant to speak of. The shower wasn't running. She'd heard no sign that he was getting the kids up for the day. She hadn't passed him in the kitchen upon entry. She chose not to stress about it, and instead changed into a grey skirt suit with a deep magenta blouse, finishing the outfit with matching satin magenta heels. </p><p>By the time she was fully dressed and had applied her usual makeup, Hermione still hadn't heard any sounds of life downstairs. Come to think of it, the bed didn't appear slept in. Ron hadn't left two days worth of clothes littered on the floor. Panic began to rise on her. She hurried downstairs and checked Rose's room, and then Hugo's. They were both as tidy as they'd been Friday morning. On top of that, Rosie's stuffed unicorn, which she wouldn't sleep without, was gone. </p><p>Ron had taken the kids.</p><p>It felt safe to assume that they were all safe and sound at his parents' house, however, that in itself was a red flag. Could he have told them that she had spent the weekend with another man? She had a hard time believing he would air his own dirty laundry as well when he could just as easily just throw her under the bus entirely. </p><p>Her first thought was to apparate straight to the Burrow and find them, give her side of the story if she must, but not knowing what she'd be walking in on, or how she would be received, it didn't feel like the best idea at that moment. Instead, she pulled out her phone and called Ron. She placed anxiously around the kitchen as the line rang once, twice, four times total before he answered. </p><p>"Hullo?" he greeted casually, as if he was unsure who was on the line. </p><p>"Hi," Hermione croaked out, her voice shaking slightly. She cleared her throat. </p><p>"Oh, hey…" was his unenthusiastic response. </p><p>"I'm at the house," Hermione tried to sound like she wasn't about to fall apart. "It doesn't look as though you guys have been here for a few days."</p><p>"Yes, well, since you're going to be out of town for that ambassadorship for a few weeks, I thought the kids might enjoy staying with Granny Molly."</p><p>Hermione was about to ask what in Merlin's name he was talking about, but then it occurred to her that this was her alibi, the story he must have given his parents and the kids to explain her absence. Her apparently extended absence. He didn't want her to come home. </p><p>"Oh," she said after a moment. "So that's what you've decided then?" It wasn't fair of him to make that choice for himself. A couple days for them each to cool off was one thing, but figuratively sending her abroad to keep her away from her own children was crossing a line. "Ron you can't just keep me away from my children. I'm their mother. They need me." And she needed them. </p><p>"You should have thought about that before you told the truth. That you're not only a liar, but a hypocrite and a cheater as well."</p><p>"You're one to talk!" She said with an exasperated laugh. "Do you honestly think you're better than me? You with your uncounted number of exploits, spanning since before Hugo was even born?"</p><p>"At least once I was found out I told the truth! You waited months to fill me in on your dirty little secret. All the while rubbing your new relationship in my face." Ron was getting loud now, and Hermione sincerely hoped that he was somewhere private where he was. </p><p>"I love him, Ronald! And more importantly than that I'm loved by him. I can't remember the last time I felt loved by you!"</p><p>"But I did love you! I always loved you-"</p><p>Hermione felt as though she might explode into angry tears at any moment. "No you didn't! You couldn't have because if you did you never would have given your attention to all of them instead of me! Your wife!" Her voice cracked, which made her mad because she didn't want him to know she was still hurting so badly from that betrayal. She didn't want to give him the wrong impression, that there was still anything worth fighting for in their relationship. </p><p>"So we both messed up. Shouldn't that make us even?" The annoyance in his voice drove her mad</p><p>Hermione barked out an appalled laugh. "No, Ronald. You cheated because you were bored. You did it for fun. I did it because I was hurt, and lonely, and-"</p><p>"I was lonely too! You didn't make time for me. You never wanted to be touched by me-"</p><p>"I was pregnant! I think that's evidence enough that I let you touch me plenty!" Hermione wasn't sure how much more of this insanity she could take. She looked up at the kitchen clock and discovered that it was already past nine. "I have to go. If the kids aren't here when I get home I'm coming there."</p><p>"Don't you dare!" Ron challenged. </p><p>"Don't you dare think you can keep my children away from me!" She hung up.  Hermione's heart was pounding again, and she remembered that the doctor had given her something to help with the anxiety. She dug into her purse in search of the bottle of pills. </p><p>By the time she arrived at work it was nearly nine thirty. The medicating had acted fast, and she was feeling calm, possibly eerily so. But the ten milligrams of Valium coursing through her didn't stop her blood pressure from spiking from the sight that awaited her outside her office. She had no opportunity to react, because the moment Stacy noticed her she hopped up from her desk to fret over her. </p><p>"Hermione! I didn't think you would be in today!"</p><p>The surprise was evident, especially considering the guest that was sitting on the corner of Stacy's desk, his cool, cruel smirk in place. Hermione had a feeling Stacy wouldn't have had him around if she'd known she wasn't taking the day off. </p><p>"I had the whole weekend to recover, don't worry," Hermione told her. Her eyes darted back to her assistant's company. "I didn't realize you two were back together." It was very difficult to hide her disgust. To her knowledge Stacy didn't know about the incident in the lift, or the resulting altercation in the atrium. After Ron had blackened Nott's other eye he'd simply dumped Stacy, no longer needing to use her to get information on her superior. </p><p>Stacy worried her lip sheepishly. "Theodore just came by to bring me a coffee," she explained. There was indeed a steaming cup on Stacy's desk. </p><p>"I wanted to apologize for how I ended things before," he said, eying Hermione with obvious amusement, before turning his eyes adoringly onto the younger witch. "I was going through some things and it really had nothing to do with you. It was completely unfair."</p><p>Stacy failed to resist a smile. "We all go through things sometimes," the naive girl stated. "And I know if it were me I would hope for compassion, and understanding."</p><p>Hermione nearly screamed, and if not for the meds she might have. Stacy, her poor sweet Stacy, was falling for his shite hook, line, and sinker. She wanted to grab the witch by the shoulders and shake some sense into her. She was quite sure that would be an abuse of her authority, however. "Yes, well, some people never do quite learn how not to take out their problems on those around them, do they?" The comment slipped out before she could help herself, earning her a surprised look. Hermione sighed. “Nott, I’m sure the DMLE must be looking for you. There are aurors in need of their morning coffee.” She offered him a catty smile, to which he chuckled and slid off the corner of Stacy’s desk.</p><p>“Ah, she’s right. Wouldn’t want Potter to go without his morning latte.” He could take Hermione’s abuse. He was no errand boy, that’s what they had interns for, but it wouldn’t be good to put up a fight in front of Stacy. Granger was only making herself look bad, and making him look good by comparison. “So I’ll see you tonight for dinner?” he asked Stacy, going over and taking hold of her waist gently.</p><p>Stacy blushed, and Hermione rolled her eyes, storming into her office so that she wouldn’t have to witness any public displays. If only he worked in her department so that she’d have the authority to prevent them from seeing each other. It wouldn’t be fair to take it out on Stacy. If he were any other boyfriend she’d have no problem with the occasional visitation.</p><p>“I wish you two could learn to get along,” Hermione heard Stacy say softly. </p><p>“Aww,” Theo replied in a condescending tone that would likely be mistaken for care. “Some rivalries just die harder than others, babe. Don’t worry about it.” </p><p>Hermione willed herself to stop listening. A few minutes later when Hermione had settled in at her desk, there was a tentative knock at her door. Hermione sighed. “Come in, Stacy,” she called through the door, feeling bad for how she’d behaved. Nott might have deserved it, but she didn’t.</p><p>The door opened, and the assistant stepped in, closing the door behind her. In her hand were a stack of memos and messages. “We were all really worried about you when we heard about what happened. Was it really a heart-attack?” she asked, setting the messages down in front of Hermione and then seating herself stiffly on a chair in front of the desk. </p><p>Hermione let out a small laugh and shook her head. “No. No, it wasn’t a heart attack, it was just an anxiety attack. Things have been a little… stressful for me, lately.” She wasn’t sure how much she was prepared to tell. Stacy looked up to her, and respected her. She didn’t want to let her down. </p><p>“You can tell me anything,” Stacy said helpfully, looking up at her with her large, pitying eyes. “I’m here for you, not just as your employee, but as your friend.” Hermione didn’t realize how much she’d needed to hear that. Ginny was her closest female friend, but she was also Ron’s sister, and she didn’t feel comfortable telling her everything, not that she planned on telling Stacy everything. </p><p>With a deep, steadying breath, Hermione hesitated a moment more before making her confession. “My marriage is over.” Was it the first time she’d ever said those exact words out loud? What was meant to be a weight off her shoulders filled her with more emotion than she’d seen coming, and her breath caught as she watched Stacy’s eyes widen with disbelief. </p><p>“Hermione, I’m so sorry! What happened!?” </p><p>Her genuine concern was touching, and Hermione had to blink away tears. She couldn’t keep crying over him. But it wasn’t just him she was losing, was it? It was his family, their family, the life and dream they’d built together. The wholeness of their small family unit.</p><p>Hermione took a second to compose herself. “I caught him with another woman back in February. And then I made it worse by retaliating. And we just keep going back and forth hurting each other, and now I-” She choked on the final word, and had to compose herself once more. She sniffed deeply and straightened out, regaining her dignity, what was left of it anyway. “And now I love someone else.”</p><p>“It’s Malfoy, right?” The words were out so quickly that at the sight of Hermione’s shocked expression she covered her mouth with both hands. “I’m sorry,” she said through her fingers, which muffled the sound. “I’m so sorry, that’s none of my business.</p><p>“What makes you think I’m in love with Draco Malfoy?” Hermione asked as if the idea were silly.</p><p>Stacy shrugged and finally lowered her hands again. “I don’t know. I mean I didn’t think that before. Not until you said something just now. He just kinda… popped in my head.” Hermione appreciated her honesty, at least.</p><p>“And what exactly about my relationship made him… pop into your head?” she inquired further. “I’m just curious,” she added lightly.</p><p>“Well…” She gave it a moment’s thought. “It’s not so much you… It’s the way he looks at you. Sometimes I catch him looking at you when you’re looking, and it’s like he wants to eat you. And not in the creepy Fenrir Greyback kind of way, but in the-” she blushed furiously at what she was about to say. “Bedroom kind of way.” Hermione couldn’t help but laugh, and she, too, turned a bit pink in the cheeks. “Plus when he heard you were missing on Friday he kind of… freaked out.”</p><p> </p><p>Hermione smiled softly to herself. “Did he really?” Of course he had, she shouldn’t have bothered to be surprised. </p><p>Stacy observed Hermione for a moment. “It is him, isn’t it? Draco Malfoy? But isn’t he married?”</p><p>Hermione knew Stacy didn’t ask out of judgement, but the question carried the weight of an accusation all the same. She shook her head. “No. I mean, yes, it’s him, and yes, he was married, but he’s getting a divorce. Their marriage had its own… issues, completely unrelated to him and I. And Ronald knows about Draco and Astoria knows about me and it’s all just...” She let out a heavy sigh. “It’s all just really unfortunate, really.”</p><p>The two women were silent for a long minute. “Well… As long as you’re happy, I’m happy for you.” It was clear that Hermione wasn’t presently what one would call happy, but it felt like the appropriate thing to say. “And if it helps, I think he really does love you too.”</p>
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<a name="section0043"><h2>43. No Going Back pt 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>We once again go back in time, this time to Ron's first time with a woman who isn't Hermione.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For the last ten years Ronald Weasley was living the high life. It was everything he'd ever dreamed. Hermione became his wife the summer after she finished school. They'd moved into a two-bedroom flat, where Ron finished out his Auror training, and for several years after that it was just the two of them. When they became pregnant with their first child, they ditched their cramped flat and purchased their first family home, a modest four-bedroom two-bath in London where they would both be close to the Ministry of Magic where they worked. Soon after they moved in their beautiful Rose Minerva Weasley entered the world. At age 26 their life as a family of three was, as far as Ron was concerned, perfect. </p><p>News of their second child came in late fall two years later, Ron's accidental birthday present to his wife, but they were thrilled by the new addition. With the growth of their family, however, came the growing concern of the dangers of Ron's occupation. He spent a lot of time on the field, sometimes days or even weeks, and the added burden of leaving Hermione alone with two children seemed unfair even to Ron. </p><p>One night while he was discussing this concern with his brother George, he learned that George and his wife were looking for a new partner to help him with his business endeavors. He had a regional manager for each joke shop location, but with his family also growing, Angelina didn't have as much time to contribute to the company as she once had. He was offering a forty-nine percent share to the right person, and it was quickly agreed upon that Ron was the perfect man for the job, he even carried the name! The two drank to the deal, and Ron arrived home late that night to wake his wife excitedly with the news.</p><p>Hermione had been surprised by the decision, and though she would have liked to have been included in the discussion, she saw no real fault in the plan, and expressed her full support, so long as he promised to let her go back to sleep. By Christmas 2008 Ronald Weasley was the proud minority owner of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes Inc, and had retired from his career as an Auror after more ten full years of service. </p><p>As a family they celebrated Ron's new freedom to spend more time at home with his little girl, and help his very busy wife juggle working life, home life, and pregnancy. But the career change wasn't as seamless as Ron had thought it would be. Retail management was significantly more complicated than he'd realized, and he often found himself feeling inferior. He began to wonder if he'd made the right choice after all. The longer this feeling progressed the more stressed he became, so an invitation to a stag weekend with one of his mates was a very welcome distraction come mid February. Two days abroad to forget about his responsibilities.</p><p>"Aren't stag weekends meant for single men?" Hermione asked when he brought it up to her at dinner that night. </p><p>Ron shrugged. "I don't see why. It's not like we're going to be doing anything awful," he said with a laugh. "Pete's not that kind of guy. Kind of boring, actually," he commented regretfully. "But I still think it'd be nice to go."</p><p>Hermione chewed her lip, thinking about it. She knew that Ron had been under a lot of stress with the career change, and he'd been very helpful lately around the house, and with Rosie. She wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't feeling a little stir crazy. His Auror job had him traveling all the time. "Is Harry going?"</p><p>"No," Ron told her. "He wanted to, but Ginny could pop any time so he doesn't want to leave her." Harry and Ginny were also expecting their second child.</p><p>Hermione would have certainly preferred to know Harry would be there as well, but it wasn't as if she didn't trust Ron. She'd never had reason not to. "Alright, I don't see why not. Just check with George that the dates will work for him."</p><p>"I will. Thanks, Hermione. I'm really looking forward to it," he told her with a grin. Some time away was just what he thought he needed to feel refreshed, and hopefully a little less resentful, a feeling he'd been trying hard to keep to himself. </p><p>So the following week Ron, along with a handful of other men from the DMLE, accompanied Pete Bunch on a long weekend getaway to the Mediterranean. They hit multiple cities, by day enjoying crystal clear water and authentic historic cities, by night exploring what these cities had to offer. By the final night, they'd made their way to Barcelona. The plan was to visit a muggle nightclub known for its wild parties, celebrities, and drinks, and that’s just where the men started out their night. They danced, and drank, and flirted with the semi-intoxicated women gyrating around the dancefloor. However before the night was through they found themselves in a popular brothel one of the locals had recommended to them. </p><p>“I don’t know about this, guys,” the often nervous and shy Bunch said to his friends, who were strongly encouraging him to “pick a girl” to have one last wild night with before he tied the knot. They sat in a large lobby, setup much like a living room, with leather couches, and surrounding them were women, slinking around them like cats in heat, hoping to gain their business.</p><p>A tall skinny blonde dressed in a pink silk robe squeezed into the space between Ron and Theo Nott, who had started work with the department about six months prior, and had surprised Ron by being a pretty fun guy to hang out with. She draped her legs over Nott’s lap and wrapped her arms along his neck, smiling seductively down at him, and then turned that smile on Ron. “Would one of you kind gentlemen like to go have some fun?” she asked them. “Or maybe both of you?”</p><p>Ron laughed nervously, but Theo grinned mischievously. “You know, I wasn’t planning on it before now, but that’s suddenly sounding like a very good idea,” he told her, and looked over at Ron with a raised eyebrow.</p><p>Ron’s eyes went wide. “What?” He chuckled nervously again. “No, I’m just along for the ride. I have a- I’m married,” he said, swallowing hard at the look of seduction the girl offered him. She turned her body to face him, and pressed her chest against his chest.</p><p>“Most of my customers are married,” she told him, and began to walk her fingers up his front. “And no one outside of this room would ever know.” She stroked his cheek with her shiny red lacquered nails.</p><p>Ron thought he might choke on his own spit when he opened his mouth to speak. She was gorgeous. Dark skin, shiny hair, plump red lips that she licked with her pierced tongue. He was feeling suddenly very warm, and he could hardly ignore the fact that he was very tempted and dangerously drunk.</p><p>Hermione was very pregnant now, and on top of the hormones and physical discomfort, she was still working full time, and taking care of their young daughter, who was increasingly difficult to take care of now that she was mobile. To say that her libido was at an all-time low would be a vast understatement. At best, she tolerated his touch, his presence even. He tried his best not to resent her apparent repulsion, but it was growing hard to ignore, especially in contrast to the slender Latina beauty crawling onto his lap. </p><p>"Come on, Weasley," Nott egged on. "Don't you at least want to find out what those gorgeous lips can do?"</p><p>She licked the aforementioned lips, and whispered something Spanish in his ear that he couldn't understand, but it made his reluctant cock twitch excitedly in his trousers all the same. </p><p>"Listen, I really appreciate the offer," Ron said, swallowing hard again. "I really, really do. But I can't." </p><p>Nott shook his head. "Suit yourself, Weasley. I, on the other hand, have no one and nothing standing in my way." He reached a hand out toward the girl, and she moved off of Ron's lap, off of the couch altogether, and led Theo by the hand out of the room and upstairs. </p><p> </p><p>By the time they left the brothel a little over an hour later, Ron was the only one who hadn't found the pleasure of a woman's company to one degree or another. Then again, he was the only one who had a woman at home to pleasure him. It was just too bad she had no interest in doing so. </p><p>They made it back to their hotel sometime before two, and all the men in their party found their way back to their respective rooms. The minibar in Ron's room, however, was incredibly understocked. Or at least, it was after he got to it. Those tiny bottles just went down so fast, so easy. He picked up the phone to call down to the front desk, but the line was dead. Ron groaned in frustration, and decided he should just head on downstairs to the lobby to ask for more tiny bottles of booze. </p><p>He stumbled into the elevator and leaned against the wall for two minutes before realizing he hadn't pressed the button for Lobby. He laughed, and pressed the button. The lift sprang to life. When he arrived in the lobby, it was empty all except for the front desk clerk and a young woman dressed in a robe with an ice bucket in hand and no shoes on her feet. </p><p>"..you could just show me your ID, we could straighten this all out," the woman behind the desk insisted.</p><p>"It's in my room, with the key, like I said before." The young woman explained, exasperated. </p><p>"I assure you, it's for your own safety that we don't just give anyone who asked a key-" the clerk was saying.</p><p>"My own safety!" She laughed humorlessly, turning away from the woman. They had been going back and forth for what must have been ten minutes now. She pushed away from the counter, and as she turned towards the elevators, she noticed him standing there. She swallowed down her frustration, walking over to sit on one of the couches in the lobby, placing the bucket full of ice on the floor next to her feet. </p><p>Ron felt bad. This poor girl had clearly gotten herself locked out of her room. He approached the counter as she abandoned her cause, and the clerk turned to him, letting out a sigh to collect herself from the previous interaction, and smiled. </p><p>"Good evening, Sir. How can I help you this evening?"</p><p>Ron looked back over at the stranded blonde briefly. She was very pretty, and very upset. He turned back to the clerk. "Hi. I was hoping you could get me some more of those little-" He held up his thumb and index finger to show the size of the bottle. "Bottles of gin, or whiskey, or tequila…" He grinned a sloppy grin. </p><p>The clerk's smile faltered very briefly, but he didn't notice. "Si, of course Sir." She picked up her phone. "Name and room number?"</p><p>"Weasley, room four-fifteen," he answered. "I really liked that honey rum. I forget what it's called but it has my name in it."</p><p>The clerk stared at him, perplexed. "Weasley?"</p><p>Ron laughed. "No! My first name, I meant my first name, Ron."</p><p>The clerk was visibly relieved. "Ah, si, the Ronmiel. Can do." She dialed the phone, and after a moment began speaking in Spanish to the person on the other end. </p><p>Not knowing a lick of Spanish himself, Ron's attention shifted to the young woman again. She had beautiful blonde hair, and a cute, friendly face. "Locked out, huh?" At least he knew she spoke English. American, if he had to guess from her accent. </p><p>She was trying not to eavesdrop, and failing, with nothing else to focus her attention on. He had a nice accent, and though he was clearly a little intoxicated, she didn't mind. She'd been drinking as well, which was probably why she hadn't thought to grab the key before going out for ice. She looked at him when he spoke to her, giving him a tight smile as she looked past him, to the dark haired woman behind the counter who had been of no help.</p><p>"Yeah, went out for ice and forgot to grab my key. Silly me." She explained with a self-deprecating laugh. "I guess I'll be waiting around until the maid comes around and I can slip in behind her." She said with a sigh, her shoulders slumping, as if she only realized her fate as she spoke it. "This night couldn't possibly get worse." She complained.</p><p>She seemed to snap out of it, shaking her head. "Sorry, listen to me going on about my problems. I'm rachel," She said, standing from the couch to offer her hand in greeting to him. </p><p>Ron grinned and stepped forward, offering his hand as well as he happened to notice the way her robe opened in the front, revealing a cute lacy bra underneath. "Ron," he introduced in response, quickly returning his gaze to meet hers. "And I'm sorry, but there's no way I can leave a pretty girl like you alone out here in the middle of the night, much less in a foreign speaking country." He smiled wide. "There's an extra bed in my room. I promise I'll be a perfect gentleman."</p><p>She considered his offer for a moment, chewing on her bottom lip nervously, though her cheeks flushed slightly at the compliment. He was handsome, and he seemed nice. But the accent was really what had her blushing. "You're not like, planning on killing me or anything, right?" She asked him with a laugh that said she was half joking, half serious. A girl couldn't be too careful.</p><p>Ron laughed and shook his head. "No, of course not. I've got ten years in law enforcement. You couldn't be safer," he assured her. "And between you and me," he said, leaning in as if to tell a secret. "I'm kinda a clumsy drunk. You could definitely take me." He offered her a cheeky grin. </p><p>Rachel laughed shyly, she had no way of knowing if he was really in law enforcement, but she chose to believe him. He had an honest face and smile. "Alright, if you promise to be a gentleman." She conceded with a flirtatious smile, sounding very much like she didn't actually want him to be a gentleman. </p><p>"Señor Weasley, your drinks will be sent up to your room shortly," the clerk called out to get his attention. </p><p>Ron turned his attention briefly back to the desk. "Thank you, er, Senora," he replied in a very poor accent. He returned his gaze to the beautiful Rachel. "Shall we?"</p><p>With a grin, she bent to pick her bucket of ice up, which was already half melted. "We shall," she agreed, his lame attempt at  Spanish only made him cuter. She led the way to the elevators, pressing the up arrow. "Fourth floor, right?" She asked, remembering he had said his room number was four-fifteen. When the doors slid open, rather quickly, she stepped inside, her finger hovering over the button for the fourth floor. </p><p>"Yeah," Ron agreed, and moved to stand with his back to the back wall. He wasn't entirely sure what he was thinking, inviting this young muggle woman up to his room, to spend the night. But it was harmless, right? "So, what brings you all the way to Barcelona?" If she really was American, it was quite a trip, especially for muggles who have to rely on airplanes. </p><p>She watched him as the doors closed, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth as he nervously tried to make conversation. "That's a long story," she told him, dropping her bucket of ice as she stepped up in front of him. "And these elevators tend to go really fast when you don't want them to." She pointed out, her hands moving up to cup either side of his face, pulling him into a kiss.</p><p>Ron didn't see it coming, but as soon as her lips were on his he knew he was done for. There was no way he'd be able to resist her now. He hadn't known just how badly he missed physical attention until just then. He kissed her back longingly, one hand falling into the small of her back, the other holding her face near as he went for a second kiss. </p><p>She pressed herself against him as she deepened the kiss, her arms circling his neck as he responded to the kiss, with no indication that he planned to push her away. She smoothed her hands down his chest slowly, her tongue pushing past his lips as he one of her hands slipped up under his shirt, wanting to feel his skin. Just then, the elevator stopped, the doors opening, and she groaned at the interruption. "Which way is your room?" She asked, peering up at him, breathless from kissing him.</p><p>Ron was still pretty shocked at what'd just occurred, and his cock had jumped to life faster than he thought it'd done in ages. "Err, left," he told her after taking a moment to think about it. He led her quickly to his room, and could hardly get the key card out of his pocket and into the door fast enough. When the door had been unlocked Ron turned to Rachel and kissed her once more, desperate for that feeling again. He lifted her up and carried her into the room. The heavy door fell shut behind them on its own. </p><p>Her legs wrapped around his middle as he lifted her, and she kissed him back eagerly, tugging at his shirt in an attempt to get it off of him. It was easier said than done in their current position, however, and rather than risk him dropping her, she tugged at the tie on her own robe instead, ripping it open to reveal the lacy purple bra and panty set she wore under it. </p><p>Ron made it to the edge of the bed, where he sat down, placing Rachel on his lap as she began to disrobe. She wasn't just beautiful, she was also sexy as hell. He pushed the robe down her shoulders until it fell off of her to the floor. "Wow…" was all he could think to say, before snapping out of it and pulling his own shirt up over his head and tossing it aside. He kissed her again, placing his hands on her narrow waist as he deepened it, his tongue finding hers once more. His fingers spread out across her back, pulling her body as close to his as he could. </p><p>She felt her face heat up at his reaction, a brief grin spread across her face before he was kissing her again. She let her tongue play against his as her hands smoothed over every inch of his bare skin she could reach. She could feel his hardened member in his pants, and she reached down between them to work open his belt, one arm hooked around his neck to ensure she wouldn't fall backwards off his lap. She'd just managed to get the belt undone when there was a knock on the door.</p><p>"Servicio de habitación!" The voice on the other side of the door called, and she groaned again at the interruption, pressing her forehead against Ron's. </p><p>"Thank you!" Ron called back dismissively. "Gracias!" He corrected himself, before Ron captured her lips again. His hands moved up her back to her bra, which he fumbled with briefly before getting it unhooked. He was in trouble and he knew it, but touching her just felt so good he couldn't bear to stop, not even for the rum he'd wanted so badly just minutes ago.</p>
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